Star Wars: The Purge
by kodafett66
Summary: Jedi Master Leseus Lemos and his padawan Enn Keth are within the Jedi Temple on Coruscant when Emperor Palpatine initiates Order 66. Now the 501st legion is marching on the temple with a peculiar figure dressed in black leads the assault. Will this Jedi Master and his apprentice find a way out alive? (This is an ongoing story. I will be adding more chapters as time goes on)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Standing atop the Ziggurat of the Jedi Temple I, Leseus Lemos stare at the dark blue starlit Coruscant sky in wonder. It's hard to believe how many worlds i have visited in my lifetime. Hundreds? Maybe thousands? I lost count long ago. Its seems so strange such a beautiful night but something doesn't feel right. Not so much a disturbance in the force but a small tremor. But now is not the time to worry i just got back from a long investigation on Nal Hutta with my padawan Enn Keth, and i just need a little time to relax and the best way for me to do this is to gaze away at the stars.

Enn. I still remember the day I met him like it was yesterday. It was 5 years ago. He was around 10 years of age. A bright minded youngling with eyes exploding with dreams of adventure. Instead of focusing heavily on lightsaber combat or delving deeper into the force like most of the younglings his age he had his nose stuck in a data pad. I remember all the younglings showing off their skills for prospecting Jedi Masters. But Enn...just sat quietly studying. I still don't know why but i just felt a connection to him. Like the force beckoned me to the youngling. I remember approaching him and asking him what he was reading. I can't quite remember what it was now. Something to do with some kind of tech or engineering. Shortly after he explained to me some of his inventions and ideas. I remember thinking that not only could he learn from me but i could learn much from him as well. I knew in that moment we would make a great team. I immediately took him as my first padawan learner. He has come a long way since the day we met tho he still has years of hard work ahead of him. But i have faith when the time comes he will pass the trials and become one of the orders finest Jedi Knights.

Me on the other hand. I have been a member of the jedi order all my life. When i was ten years old Jedi Master Jorel Lokar chose me to be his padawan and to this day i couldn't have asked for a better instructor. He was a counselor at heart, never to ignite his lightsaber unless it was absolutely crucial. He was amazing at ending conflict with only his words and the occasional persuasion through the force but never for personal gain. In my youth i always had an itchy trigger finger but somehow through all my recklessness Master Lokar sculpted me into the Jedi Knight I am today.

As I stare deeper and deeper into the open universe i get lost in my thoughts. So lost that i almost didn't notice a familiar presence walk up behind me. "Daydreaming again Master Lemos?" After I heard his voice i could identify the famous Jedi Battlemaster, Cin Drallig. "Master Drallig I haven't seen you in a hutts age!" I say as i turn around and shake his hand. "Ever since you were a youngling your mind had a tendency to wander. But at least you always had your mindset when it was time for training." He said with a smile.

Known as Battlemaster by all the jedi Cin Drallig is not only a master of the blade but one of the greatest teachers in the history of the galaxy. He explained that he just got done instructing a lightsaber dueling lesson with two young padawans Bene and Whie who are showing much promise. But the padawan who is showing the most improvement by far is Serra Keto. She is considered his best student. Her skill in lightsaber combat excels. She has spared with my padawan Enn on multiple occasions and she always seems to best him.

"It seemed like you drifted off into deep space there. What were you thinking so hard about?" Somehow i knew he would ask me that even though I'm sure he already knew. "I was just thinking about Master Lokar." "Ah Jorel...one of the greatest Jedi I ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was a close friend of mine. I miss him dearly." It is always hard to lose a fellow Jedi especially one that had been my mentor for most of my life. But as Jedi we must remember the first entry of our code: There Is No Emotion, There is Peace." "I miss him as well." I said. "But we mustn't grieve his death but celebrate his life and what his teachings stood for." The renowned Jedi Master put his hand on my shoulder, chuckled, and grinning ear to ear as he says. "He taught you very well old friend. I bet all the credits in the galaxy that your teachings are just as good if not better." I nod in self gratitude. "I just hope it sticks with Enn as it did me."

Drallig gives me one last pat on the shoulder. I watch him as he turns and makes his way back to the turbolift. He didn't take five full steps and that small tremor in the force I felt earlier turned into a complete catastrophic quake. This was no mere disturbance in the force but an awakening of pure destruction and evil. The battle master stops dead In his tracks. "Did you?..." He muttered. Truthfully not a single Jedi in the entire galaxy didn't feel it. As I try to reach deeper into the force to find some kind of answer for the big question a faint sound off in the distance broke my concentration. It came from beyond the main entrance of the Jedi temple. Looking at Drallig i could tell he hears it to. Without saying a word we both run in a full sprint atop the temple to the very edge directly above of the great entrance.

Looking down on the great steps all I see is white. The sound we heard was a Legion of Clone troopers marching up the great many steps of the Jedi temple. "Clone troopers?! Why would clone troopers be marching on the temple?" My mind could hardly comprehend that this all was actually happening. "They are in battle formation!" Dralig said loudly. "Who would order them to do such a thing?!" I say. Dralig looks at me with wide eyes "only one man has the power to do that" I look back "senator palpatine..."

Dralig says to me with haste "Go to the lower levels and help fend them off ill make my way to the younglings and evacuate them!" He pulls out is comlink. "Serra i need you to meet me immediately!" The voice of a small yet confident and strong young girl answered through the comlink. "What's going on master?! Did you feel-" "We are being attacked" he cut her off calmly yet eagerly, "the clones are marching on the temple we need to EVAC the younglings." "On my way." She answers without hesitation.

Dralig was about to leap into a full force induced sprint when, "Wait!" I yelled as I point down "look at the front line! Somebody is leading them!" Cin looked over the edge once more. A figure in a dark cloak was leading the march. "Who could that be?" I say to myself. I look over at my friend and notice his eyes close. He is reaching out with the force to try and identify the dark evil figure. Before I had the chance to do the same he said with great worry and sadness "no...it can't be" The Jedi master turned and ran back toward the turbolift with great haste. "Who is it?! Wait! Master Drallig!" But through the force he was halfway to his destination before I could even spit out the words. Who knew that would be the last time i would see my old friend…

 **Chapter 2**

As i speed down a turbo lift i can feel the battle between clone and jedi begin to escalate beneath my feet. Crescendoing into a massive symphony of blaster shots and light saber hums. I get on my comlink "Enn come in. What is your location?!" I say impatiently. "I'm in the archive room with Jin-Lo Rayce. We were studying history on the jedi civil war when we felt-" i cut him off "listen Enn we haven't much time im almost to your level we must descend to the lower levels and help fend off the clones!" The young padawan replies whimpering "Clones master?" "Wait for me to come get you and we will descend together." A sick feeling rose from my gut to my throat as i mutter my next words. "Enn...They have turned on us." I tuck my comlink quickly into my belt faintly hearing an attempted reply.

I stopped the turbo lift on the appropriate floor and sprinted down narrow pillared corridors toward the Room of the Jedi Archives also known as the great library. Around me are other Jedi running in multiple directions to defend the one place we call home. Sprinting left and right through different corridors I came to a round open room with beautiful statues and sculptures of jedi Knights atop multiple other corridor entrances. What beautiful architecture. A jedi standing in front of one of these entrances yells for my attention. "This way! To the lower levels!" I come to a quick stop and reply to the human jedi with his green saber already ignited in his hand. "Im retrieving my padawan then we'll be right behind you!" My Jedi Brother nods and heads down the corridor to the right running with both hands grasping his saber ready for combat. As i head for the left corridor i hear loud blaster fire and a shrilling scream. I turn around to look down the hall….Clone Troopers carelessly stepping over the black scored corpse of the jedi i spoke to not a moment ago. The seven troopers raise their blasters and begin to fire upon me as they enter the open room.

Quickly unholstering my lightsaber i ignite its bright blue luminescent blade just in time to deflect the first round of shots. Through the Force i hold out my left hand and push the three troops on the left against the hard wall rattling them nearly unconscious as the other four start to close in. Deflecting shot after shot i finally manage to deflect one back at a trouper directly in the heart no doubt killing him almost instantly. Another runs at me from my right in attempt to tackle me to the ground but with one swift diagonal uppercut of my blade I singed right through his white chest plate from his lower left abdomen up to his right shoulder. Nearly cutting all the way through him.. Deflecting shots from the remaining Clones i slowly back into the last corridor i need to run down.

All off the sudden more troopers come spilling into the open room from the other corridors. 'How in Chaos did they get to the upper levels so fast?!' i think to myself. The battle below must not be holding up. I call upon the force to remove the once beautiful statues and pillars on the walls to block the entrance of my corridor. With loud cracks and crumbles the big devine pieces of jedi history come crashing down from the walls and fall in front of the corridor entrance by my control. One of the troopers tried to roll into the corridor before pieces of the wall touched ground. But he wasn't quick enough. They hit the ground with a loud smash crushing the clone. With this entrance now blocked off i ran quickly down the corridor to my destination. A tear roles down my cheek...my once brothers in arms were trying to kill me, my family, and destroy my home. I wipe the tear away and repeat to myself over and over as i run down the hallway. "There is no emotion, there is no emotion."

Disengaging and holstering my lightsaber i arrive at the Archive Room to meet my padawan Enn at this entrance. With his Tech visor mounted atop his head and his tool pack strapped tightly to is back he runs up to me quickly. I could tell he sensed my presence quickly. "Master! Thank the force you made it! I thought the clones got you for sure!" "and they almost did" I reply as we jog to the middle of the great library. There Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu was putting holo chips into a bag with her padawan Jin-Lo Rayce. "Master Lemos I need your assistance at once!" said Jocasta with her aged feminine voice. "Master Jocasta I strongly suggest you start destroying the archives at once." I say as i approach "The Clones are already spilling into the upper levels and we cannot let them get there hands on this information." The old woman hushes me strictly. "My library assistants are already on it!" I look around the upper levels of the library and see jedi extending their lightsabers slashing through the shelves of precious jedi history. My heart began to sink. Whatever is happening just became more real to me. Without saying a word to her she perks up rushingly. "It saddens me too but there is no time! They will be here in moments.' (Just because i blocked one entrance to the archive room doesn't mean there isn't more) 'I packed Jin-Lo a bag of some of our most precious data chips and i need you and Enn to escape the temple with him through the secret passages here in the library. You will have a better chance getting out together." I reply in disagreement "Enn should go with Jin-Lo he will protect him well. I will stay here and help you and the other librarians fend them off." Enn percs up "Hey i don't want to run i want to fight!" Then Jin-Lo "Yeah! why can't we help defend our home!" "Listen to me!" Jocasta Snaps at the padawans "I understand you both are very skilled in the ways of the force but…" She looks at me "they are still only children Lemos...they need your guidance after evading this catastrophe." Her voice gets louder "They won't know what to do or where to go they need a MASTER!" She sputters with booming emotion. That is the first time i ever saw a Jedi master burst out words with such pure frustration. I stand silent as she pulls herself together. "I know what you're thinking, I went against our code just then but unless some of us escape there will be no code left...none of our teachings...no jedi...no hope." We pause for a quick moment just looking at one another then i perk up. "You are right Master Jocasta I will defend the children with my life." Jocasta nods in gratitude "Those holo chips are the only records future jedi will have left." She says "It is our responsibility to take care of them. Now take the children and go Lemos. Jin-Lo can navigate you through the passageways. I even gave him a data pad contains a map of the Courausant underworld" the young pre-teen human looks up at me with a smile "nobody knows the tunnels like i do master."

An explosion rocks the floor like an earthquake from the battle below. "Alright then its time for us to go young ones" i say. Jin-Lo starts walking us to the back of the archive room to the entrance of the secret passage way then stops and turns to take one last look at his mentor.

Jocasta looks at him, smiles, and says "May the Force Be with y-" With a loud booming explosion the great wooden doors of the libraries main entrance blow open. Knocking over Jocasta her jedi librarians and shelves upon shelves of holo discs and chips shattering when they hit the floor. I jump atop the padwans to defend them from shrapnel and debris. Clone assassins come spilling in through the smoke firing at Jocasta and librarians. "Jin-Lo!" I yell, "get you and Enn inside the passageway and make your way to the city now! I'll be right behind you!" Without hesitation the young padawans knew what they needed to do.

As they enter the secret passageway I disobey Jocasta's orders and run over to her and the other librarians their lightsabers already humming. With great depth i ignite mine as well. "What are you doing get back to the children!" Jocasta says as she deflects incoming blaster fire. "Ill be right behind them I'm not leaving you to die!" Deflecting shots left and right i make my way closer to the clones focusing on taking them out one by one. I could no doubt sense the chief librarians frustration with me but i cant stand aside while she and her librarians get slaughtered. All of the sudden through all the fighting and blaster bolts i feel a familiar presence standing beyond the smokey entrance. With a right horizontal slash and a two step stab to the left i took out what seemed the last two clone assassins. I stop a few yards away from the smokey entrance and felt that familiar presence grow stronger. All of the sudden the high pitched hiss of a lightsaber ignites from beyond the once great wooden doors. I could see its blue blade lighting up the smoke. One would think this to be a fellow jedi until you sense the mere anger and hate radiating from its source. It was then I knew this was no fellow jedi. But the man that Master Dralig and i witnessed leading the attack.

Stepping out of the smoke the Dark Evil Figure i saw atop the temple made form. With his black hood up i couldn't quite make out a face. "Who are you? And why are you doing this?!" I yell. He turned slightly and lifted his hood… He peered at me with his dead yellow eyes filled with nothing but hate and anger. Because of this I almost didn't recognize him at first. When i finally did i was astonished and shell shocked for a moment...i could hardly speak. Then finally i gained the nerve to mutter his name…

"Skywalker?!"

 **Chapter 3**

We just stood there for what seemed like forever. Eyes locked. I hold a face of confusion and anger while he holds a face of malice and hate. What is going on?! Skywalker leading an attack on his own people! This is madness! What could have lead him to do this?

"Master Anakin? What is this?! Why are you killing your own people?!" I said confused and angry. He tilts his head slightly and glares at me when he says "The jedi are no longer my people!" Jocasta and her few remaining librarians line up behind me sabers at the ready. I gain a sense of pity for the dark jedi who stands before me. "Whatever has happened...whoever has twisted your mind, we can help you. Stand down and call off your clones. It doesn't have to end like this Anakin!" A group of clone troopers and clone assassins run up behind the once highly respected member of the jedi council blasters at the ready. "For you and the rest of the jedi it does!" He yelled with an uncontrollable rage before lunging directly at me.

Our blades collide with a high pitched crash as blaster bolts scream past our heads. I almost forgot how skilled he is with a blade. I block his ruthless attacks to the best of my ability waiting for a moment to strike but every time i try to parry an attack he finds a way to stop it. Like a game of Dejerik in a way. He always plays a few moves ahead of me. As we spar near the entrance clones and jedi engage in battle around us. I can tell using my peripheral vision that the battle is not in our favor. Bodies hitting the floor all around us clone and jedi alike but more and more troops keep pouring in. My body start getting week with every swing of my blade...He is to fast...this fight was over before it began. He jumps and strikes down at me as we lock blades, i reach out to the force in an attempt to push him off of me but his hand was already raised to my abdomen. I went flying backwards spinning like a rag doll from his push through the force but somehow I landed on my feet stumbling. "Anakin stop this madness! Let me help you!" I yell in one last attempt to get through to him. Anakin screams a triumphant battle cry as he sprints toward me. Three of the jedi librarians turned to see Anakin sprinting at me and tried to cut in and take him down. Needless to say they were no match… Anakin never slowed his speed or changed direction and his eyes stayed locked on mine. He cut through the librarians seemingly without even trying as he closed in on me. Holding my blade ahead of me i close my eyes and call upon the force. All of the sudden an old familiar voice rang in my ears. "Trust in the force Lemos let it guide you. Embrace it!" "Jorel?!" I whisper to myself in surprise. I allow the force to engulf my mind. The only way i know how to describe it is it felt like time slowed rapidly and all sound muffled. With my eyes shut i couldn't see but i could feel the room around me. I could feel anakin right in front of me. The thrum of his blade closing in on the left side of my head. The force guides my blade swiftly to the left negating his blow. Guiding my feet side stepping to the right as i bring the hilt of my saber down hard on the back of his skull. I feel him fall to the ground hard as time snaps back into place. I open my eyes to see my opponent on the ground before me. He turns his head glaring at me with that look of hatred then leaps at me. Our blades dance together sparking and twirling in the dim lighted library. I finally felt like i had the upper hand when i felt a red hot pain from behind searing my right shoulder blade. I was hit by a blaster. I was so caught up in this fight with Anakin i forgot to watch out for the clones around us. I scream in pain losing my footing. Anakin took full advantage of the situation.

The smell of burnt flesh overcomes my sense of smell as i turn my head and body slightly to the right seeing the clone that shot me not 10 feet away. He fires another shot at me I painfully deflect it back at him with my blade. The bright blue bolt of condensed supercharged plasma energy exploded right in his face when another searing pain ran up my left side from just above my waist line and right up through my left shoulder blade. My body and head curls in the direction of the pain and i scream in agony. Skywalker came in with a perfectly landed upper cut searing my flesh. My tunic and cloak molds with my wounds from the immense heat of the blade and blaster bolt. I begin to fall to my knees as i look at Anakin. With an outstretched hand he breaks my fall through the force and i feel myself being lifted over his head. He looks up at me one last time as our eyes meet. I look into those dark yellow eyes of his and come to the conclusion that he is truly lost. No Matter what i say or do there is no bringing him back. He has truly fallen to the Dark Side. He hovered me over his body for only a second then through me with great force diagonally across the room. I must have been flying through the air fast because I crashed through three holo shelves and i collide head first into the back wall of the library. Then blackness...

I start to regain consciousness...head pounding blurred vision and a familiar presence shaking me awake. "Master wake up...wake up!" My vision begins to make shape and i recognize my apprentice Enn above me. "Master we have to go now!" I place a hand on my head as i sit up a little. "What are you doing her Enn?! I told you and Jin-Lo to-" He cut me off by putting his hand over my mouth. "There's no time for that now you can lecture me later we have to go now! Troops are patrolling what's left of the library. I can sense them heading this way." Enn helped me to my feet. My body battered and bruised. Blood trickling from the side of my face. I grown in pain as i get to my feet. Enn puts my arm around his shoulder and leads me to the passageway entrance. "Wait" i say "my...my lightsaber." "don't worry master i have it. I found it not far from you."

And so we made our way through the library. We had to sneak past a few clones making there rounds looking for any surviving jedi. Stepping over the remains of clones and jedi we make our way through the library. I look down at all there faces as we passed by. Some of them i knew some i didn't, Then I saw her. Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu...her body lay cold and limp atop more bodies and a hole through her sternum. She was impaled by a lightsaber. "Damn you Skywalker...damn you to Chaos." I muttered painfully. Enn gives me a funny look and whispers. "Skywalker? You mean Master Anakin? What would he have to do with all of this?" I look at him out of the corner of my eye and see a look of fear and confusion polluting his face. "Ill tell you everything my young apprentice...but for now we must focus on getting out of her." He nods at me setting me down against a pillar. "Where is Jin-Lo?" I say, he flicks his tech visor downward looking through them like glasses and searching the wall of the library with his eyes. "He is scouting ahead in the tunnels. We have a rendezvous point set...i just got to find the entrance..." He searches for few more seconds when. "Aha! Here it is." He pulls out some kind of tool and inserts it into a slit in the wall that is invisible to the naked eye. I hear a soft click sound and a small section of the wall moves to the left revealing a dark narrow tunnel. Enn gets me back on my feet and we duck into the small passageway that leads us to our inevitable exile.

 **Chapter 4**

We make our way through the small dark passageways for what seemed like a lifetime. "Just a little bit farther Master." says Enn breathing heavily. Im nearly twice his size. The fact that he has supported my weight for this long surprised me. We come to a more open area exiting the cramped passageway. Enns legs give from under him and we fall to the cold damp floor. I lay prone resting to the best of my abilities. My wounds sting with pain. Enn roles over on his back a few feet away breathing heavily trying to catch his breath. Trying to the best of my ability to stay conscious i mutter "Jin-Lo where is he?" Enn answers between heavy breaths "I don't know. He should be here by now. This is the rendezvous spot." Enn sits himself up and cups his hands around his mouth. "Jin! Jin-lo!" He shouts...no answer. "Where could he be? You don't think the clones found there way into the secret tunnels do you?" I push myself up with what little strength i have and wince in pain. "Its hard to say...I hope he didn't get lost." "no way" enn says "not Jin-Lo nobody knows these tunnels better than him. He practically grew up down here." I sit myself up. Every move i make sending shooting pain through my scorched wounds. I grown in agonising pain. Enn gives me a look of worry. "Let me take a look at those wounds." Enn pulls of his tool pack taking out a medi kit from a side pocket. He kneels down next to me flicking down his tech visor to examining my wounds. "Large gash and swelling on the left side of the cranium...bruising of the chest." he lifts his finger to click a button on the side of his visor. "As i suspected. You have a 3 fractured ribs. As long as you don't do anything to straining they should heal on their own." I give him a puzzled look. "Since when does that contraption of yours have x-ray vision?" I say trying to ignore the pain. "When you went to Ryloth on that extraction mission a few months back" He says as he cares for the gash on my head. "I helped out in the medical wing while you were away. Thought it would come in handy." I chuckle at him slightly as pain shoots through my rib cage. "Well you were right about that. Good thinking. It still amazes me the things you come up with." Enn finishes patching up my head then begins to examine the wounds on my back. "Deep Plasma burn on the right shoulder blade...that clone must have hit you close. 15 feet?" "I guessed 10" I reply "but it was hard to tell with all the-" Enn cut me off...his voice full of confusion and terror. "This wound running up your left side...this was from a...a lightsaber." We lock eyes for a moment. Just sitting there. "Master Skywalker? That's who did this. That's why you cursed his name back there…" I could tell Enn was trying to hold back tears. "Never refer to him as Master again young one. He lost that title and that honor. He is someone else now...something else. I saw it in his eyes."

Nothing was said after that. We both sat in silence as he tended to my injuries to the best of his abilities with what little medical supplies he has. And then the time came to go. Not wanting to worry my young apprentice i kept my pain to myself as best as i could. He still had to help me walk but at least i stopped slipping in and out of consciousness. We walk for another 20 minutes or so guessing our way through the maze of cold stone when Enn says "I'm not sure we will ever make it out of here master...not without Jin-Lo. I haven't felt his presence since we split up. We never should have done that. I'm sorry i disobeyed your orders Master Lemos. It was careless and reckless of me." "No apology necessary my apprentice. I did not set a good example by disobeying Jocasta's orders. It is I who made the mistake, I should have gone with the both of you. I stood no match against skywalker." "Yes but you could not have known that master...at least you tried." I couldnt help but try to turn this into a lesson as i say "try..no Enn. As master yoda would say we do or we don't" He cuts in "there is no try..." we both walked in silence after that. My mind raced thinking of all my jedi friends. Did any escape? Are there any survivors? There must be. There are jedi all across the galaxy. I can only imagine Enn was thinking the same thing.

We headed deeper and deeper into the tunnels in search of Jin-Lo. I reach out through the force trying to get some kind of lead on his whereabouts...but nothing. Wherever he is he isn't within these tunnels and if he is...he is dead. I can't help feel responsible. I let my emotions get the best of me. I have failed the younglings, I have failed Jocasta...and i have failed the jedi. Those hollo tapes and holocrons are too important to lose. Not that i don't think Jin-Lo can take care of himself but he is only a child. I just hope it's not too late. Once again i get lost in my thoughts as i tend to do, then Enn perks up. "Master...Look!" I quickly snap my head down a new corridor to our right. I see bodies...clone bodies. Sprawled out on the floor. Blaster and lightsaber scores on the walls and floor. The smell of fizzled plasma fills my nose. "They found there way down here...this is bad." Enn said. We make our way closer. Hoping we don't find Jin-Lo's body among the rest. Enn rests me against the wall and begins a thorough investigation of the battle that took place. "Four clones...no sign of Jin-Lo" Thank the force i thought to myself. "Jin-Lo was never much of a fighter. I'm surprised he was able to take them all out." enn said as he flips down his tech visor. My eyes look around in an investigation of my own. "He took them by surprise. That's how he got the upper hand" I say. "Notice the two closest to me. They were hit in the back. The other two gave him a little bit of trouble hence the blaster marks on the walls. But he eventually got them. The one on the left took a deflected blaster shot to the stomach. The other a vertical slash to the chest." Enn gives me a look through his visor. "Judging by their body temp this fight took place a while ago. I'm guessing around the time i found you. There's no trace of Jin tho. Or any other troopers. Why didn't he make his way back?" "Like you said. He wasn't much of a fighter. Maybe he got spooked and he ran." I say trying to imagine what was going through the younglings mind. "Yeah Maybe" Enn said "Well at least we have an idea on his direction. We better keep moving." Enn puts my arm around his shoulder once again as we continue down the paths. We didn't make it very far when we saw another mark on the wall. This mark was from a lightsaber. "Hmm that's odd. No sign of a fight." Said my apprentice. I think a moment and realize this wasn't from another encounter with clones. Jin-Lo was leaving us a trail. I look at Enn about to relay the information but i could tell by the look on his face he new what i was gonna say. We take off down the tunnels as fast as my body will allow following the trail that the young jedi left for us.

My guess an hour must have passed following Jin-Lo's trail when my apprentice and i smell something horrid. A smell that would make bantha fodder seem like a sweet perfume. "Oh what is that!" Enn said putting his forearm up covering his nose. "Its terrible!" He said in a muffled voice." All of the sudden the sound of splashing arises from under our feet. "We must be in the sewers now." I call upon the force to dull my sense of smell. "I...I think I'm gonna be-" Enn started before vomiting up everything that was in his stomach. As he was finishing i feel a slight breeze on my face. "Come now my apprentice there is an exit near by," Enn wipes his face with the sleeve of his tunic. "Yeah...let's go." He gasped. We make our way through the sewer trudging through goopy water and following the brees. Up ahead we see a ladder leading up to an opening far above our heads. "That must be where the breeze is coming from." I say. I take a few more steps when my foot kicks something under the rancid water. "Hold on a moment." we stop and i kneel down feeling a slight pain shoot through my ribs as i dip my hand in the sludge. Feeling around for a moment my hand grips around some kind of metal cylinder. I pull it from the sewage standing up. In my hand lay a lightsaber. "Master thats.." "Lin-Lo's saber" I say finishing his sentence. I stand there just holding it for a moment. Enn walks to the ladder and picks something up that was dangling from one of its steps. "Master look." He faces my direction holding up his find. Dangling from his middle and index finger was a padawan braid. Similar to Enns just slightly shorter. "I think i was right Enn. He did get spooked and ran. When he finally came to this exit he was afraid he would be identified by his braid in town. He used his saber to cut it off then…he left his saber behind. Must have been to afraid to bring it along. If he was ever caught with it he would surely be incarcerated or worse." Enn looks to the ground sighing. "Poor Jin-Lo. He must have been so scared. Master we have to find him." I nod in agreement. "And we will my young apprentice. But first we need rest and provisions. And if i don't get better care for these wounds they will fester. Enn...I'm afraid i won't last long without serious medical attention." he gives me a look of worry and understanding, "I know master. But where can we go? Any medical facility will surely need some sort of ID before treating you. And those wounds are to obvious. They will notify the authorities upon inspection." I pause as i realize my padawan is absolutely right. Where will we go? What will we do? And then it hit me. "Dev" Enn gives me a puzzled look. "Wait what's that?" I raise my eyebrow at him. "Not what...who. Dev Hoff. Last i heard he was joining the republic navey. He is an old friend of mine. His father and my former Master helped each other out on many occasions. I haven't seen him in a long time. Last i saw him was about a year before i took you on as my apprentice. If anyone can help us Its him." "well let's get going master i can't stand to be in this stench for another second. And we are gonna have one heck of a time getting you up this ladder." Before we did Enn pulled a small vibroknife from his pack and cut off his own padawan brade. He held his and Jins in hand for a few seconds before letting them fall to the sludgy water below. Enn took Jin's saber form my hand, cleaned it off, and put it in his pack along with ours.

Together we ascend the ladder to our escape. I had to call upon the force for strength and to dull my pain but it was still excruciating. Never in my life have i experienced as much pain as i have today. I hope that my padawan and i can find safe refuge soon or i fear that i won't survive my wounds. And Jin-Lo...that poor child. I can only imagine how scared he must have been. All on his own not knowing where to go or what to do and in the possession of some of the jedi's most precious information. We need to find him...against all odds we must find him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Standing atop the Ziggurat of the Jedi Temple I, Leseus Lemos stare at the dark blue starlit Coruscant sky in wonder. It's hard to believe how many worlds i have visited in my lifetime. Hundreds? Maybe thousands? I lost count long ago. Its seems so strange such a beautiful night but something doesn't feel right. Not so much a disturbance in the force but a small tremor. But now is not the time to worry i just got back from a long investigation on Nal Hutta with my padawan Enn Keth, and i just need a little time to relax and the best way for me to do this is to gaze away at the stars.

Enn. I still remember the day I met him like it was yesterday. It was 5 years ago. He was around 10 years of age. A bright minded youngling with eyes exploding with dreams of adventure. Instead of focusing heavily on lightsaber combat or delving deeper into the force like most of the younglings his age he had his nose stuck in a data pad. I remember all the younglings showing off their skills for prospecting Jedi Masters. But Enn...just sat quietly studying. I still don't know why but i just felt a connection to him. Like the force beckoned me to the youngling. I remember approaching him and asking him what he was reading. I can't quite remember what it was now. Something to do with some kind of tech or engineering. Shortly after he explained to me some of his inventions and ideas. I remember thinking that not only could he learn from me but i could learn much from him as well. I knew in that moment we would make a great team. I immediately took him as my first padawan learner. He has come a long way since the day we met tho he still has years of hard work ahead of him. But i have faith when the time comes he will pass the trials and become one of the orders finest Jedi Knights.

Me on the other hand. I have been a member of the jedi order all my life. When i was ten years old Jedi Master Jorel Lokar chose me to be his padawan and to this day i couldn't have asked for a better instructor. He was a counselor at heart, never to ignite his lightsaber unless it was absolutely crucial. He was amazing at ending conflict with only his words and the occasional persuasion through the force but never for personal gain. In my youth i always had an itchy trigger finger but somehow through all my recklessness Master Lokar sculpted me into the Jedi Knight I am today.

As I stare deeper and deeper into the open universe i get lost in my thoughts. So lost that i almost didn't notice a familiar presence walk up behind me. "Daydreaming again Master Lemos?" After I heard his voice i could identify the famous Jedi Battlemaster, Cin Drallig. "Master Drallig I haven't seen you in a hutts age!" I say as i turn around and shake his hand. "Ever since you were a youngling your mind had a tendency to wander. But at least you always had your mindset when it was time for training." He said with a smile.

Known as Battlemaster by all the jedi Cin Drallig is not only a master of the blade but one of the greatest teachers in the history of the galaxy. He explained that he just got done instructing a lightsaber dueling lesson with two young padawans Bene and Whie who are showing much promise. But the padawan who is showing the most improvement by far is Serra Keto. She is considered his best student. Her skill in lightsaber combat excels. She has spared with my padawan Enn on multiple occasions and she always seems to best him.

"It seemed like you drifted off into deep space there. What were you thinking so hard about?" Somehow i knew he would ask me that even though I'm sure he already knew. "I was just thinking about Master Lokar." "Ah Jorel...one of the greatest Jedi I ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was a close friend of mine. I miss him dearly." It is always hard to lose a fellow Jedi especially one that had been my mentor for most of my life. But as Jedi we must remember the first entry of our code: There Is No Emotion, There is Peace." "I miss him as well." I said. "But we mustn't grieve his death but celebrate his life and what his teachings stood for." The renowned Jedi Master put his hand on my shoulder, chuckled, and grinning ear to ear as he says. "He taught you very well old friend. I bet all the credits in the galaxy that your teachings are just as good if not better." I nod in self gratitude. "I just hope it sticks with Enn as it did me."

Drallig gives me one last pat on the shoulder. I watch him as he turns and makes his way back to the turbolift. He didn't take five full steps and that small tremor in the force I felt earlier turned into a complete catastrophic quake. This was no mere disturbance in the force but an awakening of pure destruction and evil. The battle master stops dead In his tracks. "Did you?..." He muttered. Truthfully not a single Jedi in the entire galaxy didn't feel it. As I try to reach deeper into the force to find some kind of answer for the big question a faint sound off in the distance broke my concentration. It came from beyond the main entrance of the Jedi temple. Looking at Drallig i could tell he hears it to. Without saying a word we both run in a full sprint atop the temple to the very edge directly above of the great entrance.

Looking down on the great steps all I see is white. The sound we heard was a Legion of Clone troopers marching up the great many steps of the Jedi temple. "Clone troopers?! Why would clone troopers be marching on the temple?" My mind could hardly comprehend that this all was actually happening. "They are in battle formation!" Dralig said loudly. "Who would order them to do such a thing?!" I say. Dralig looks at me with wide eyes "only one man has the power to do that" I look back "senator palpatine..."

Dralig says to me with haste "Go to the lower levels and help fend them off ill make my way to the younglings and evacuate them!" He pulls out is comlink. "Serra i need you to meet me immediately!" The voice of a small yet confident and strong young girl answered through the comlink. "What's going on master?! Did you feel-" "We are being attacked" he cut her off calmly yet eagerly, "the clones are marching on the temple we need to EVAC the younglings." "On my way." She answers without hesitation.

Dralig was about to leap into a full force induced sprint when, "Wait!" I yelled as I point down "look at the front line! Somebody is leading them!" Cin looked over the edge once more. A figure in a dark cloak was leading the march. "Who could that be?" I say to myself. I look over at my friend and notice his eyes close. He is reaching out with the force to try and identify the dark evil figure. Before I had the chance to do the same he said with great worry and sadness "no...it can't be" The Jedi master turned and ran back toward the turbolift with great haste. "Who is it?! Wait! Master Drallig!" But through the force he was halfway to his destination before I could even spit out the words. Who knew that would be the last time i would see my old friend…

 **Chapter 2**

As i speed down a turbo lift i can feel the battle between clone and jedi begin to escalate beneath my feet. Crescendoing into a massive symphony of blaster shots and light saber hums. I get on my comlink "Enn come in. What is your location?!" I say impatiently. "I'm in the archive room with Jin-Lo Rayce. We were studying history on the jedi civil war when we felt-" i cut him off "listen Enn we haven't much time im almost to your level we must descend to the lower levels and help fend off the clones!" The young padawan replies whimpering "Clones master?" "Wait for me to come get you and we will descend together." A sick feeling rose from my gut to my throat as i mutter my next words. "Enn...They have turned on us." I tuck my comlink quickly into my belt faintly hearing an attempted reply.

I stopped the turbo lift on the appropriate floor and sprinted down narrow pillared corridors toward the Room of the Jedi Archives also known as the great library. Around me are other Jedi running in multiple directions to defend the one place we call home. Sprinting left and right through different corridors I came to a round open room with beautiful statues and sculptures of jedi Knights atop multiple other corridor entrances. What beautiful architecture. A jedi standing in front of one of these entrances yells for my attention. "This way! To the lower levels!" I come to a quick stop and reply to the human jedi with his green saber already ignited in his hand. "Im retrieving my padawan then we'll be right behind you!" My Jedi Brother nods and heads down the corridor to the right running with both hands grasping his saber ready for combat. As i head for the left corridor i hear loud blaster fire and a shrilling scream. I turn around to look down the hall….Clone Troopers carelessly stepping over the black scored corpse of the jedi i spoke to not a moment ago. The seven troopers raise their blasters and begin to fire upon me as they enter the open room.

Quickly unholstering my lightsaber i ignite its bright blue luminescent blade just in time to deflect the first round of shots. Through the Force i hold out my left hand and push the three troops on the left against the hard wall rattling them nearly unconscious as the other four start to close in. Deflecting shot after shot i finally manage to deflect one back at a trouper directly in the heart no doubt killing him almost instantly. Another runs at me from my right in attempt to tackle me to the ground but with one swift diagonal uppercut of my blade I singed right through his white chest plate from his lower left abdomen up to his right shoulder. Nearly cutting all the way through him.. Deflecting shots from the remaining Clones i slowly back into the last corridor i need to run down.

All off the sudden more troopers come spilling into the open room from the other corridors. 'How in Chaos did they get to the upper levels so fast?!' i think to myself. The battle below must not be holding up. I call upon the force to remove the once beautiful statues and pillars on the walls to block the entrance of my corridor. With loud cracks and crumbles the big devine pieces of jedi history come crashing down from the walls and fall in front of the corridor entrance by my control. One of the troopers tried to roll into the corridor before pieces of the wall touched ground. But he wasn't quick enough. They hit the ground with a loud smash crushing the clone. With this entrance now blocked off i ran quickly down the corridor to my destination. A tear roles down my cheek...my once brothers in arms were trying to kill me, my family, and destroy my home. I wipe the tear away and repeat to myself over and over as i run down the hallway. "There is no emotion, there is no emotion."

Disengaging and holstering my lightsaber i arrive at the Archive Room to meet my padawan Enn at this entrance. With his Tech visor mounted atop his head and his tool pack strapped tightly to is back he runs up to me quickly. I could tell he sensed my presence quickly. "Master! Thank the force you made it! I thought the clones got you for sure!" "and they almost did" I reply as we jog to the middle of the great library. There Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu was putting holo chips into a bag with her padawan Jin-Lo Rayce. "Master Lemos I need your assistance at once!" said Jocasta with her aged feminine voice. "Master Jocasta I strongly suggest you start destroying the archives at once." I say as i approach "The Clones are already spilling into the upper levels and we cannot let them get there hands on this information." The old woman hushes me strictly. "My library assistants are already on it!" I look around the upper levels of the library and see jedi extending their lightsabers slashing through the shelves of precious jedi history. My heart began to sink. Whatever is happening just became more real to me. Without saying a word to her she perks up rushingly. "It saddens me too but there is no time! They will be here in moments.' (Just because i blocked one entrance to the archive room doesn't mean there isn't more) 'I packed Jin-Lo a bag of some of our most precious data chips and i need you and Enn to escape the temple with him through the secret passages here in the library. You will have a better chance getting out together." I reply in disagreement "Enn should go with Jin-Lo he will protect him well. I will stay here and help you and the other librarians fend them off." Enn percs up "Hey i don't want to run i want to fight!" Then Jin-Lo "Yeah! why can't we help defend our home!" "Listen to me!" Jocasta Snaps at the padawans "I understand you both are very skilled in the ways of the force but…" She looks at me "they are still only children Lemos...they need your guidance after evading this catastrophe." Her voice gets louder "They won't know what to do or where to go they need a MASTER!" She sputters with booming emotion. That is the first time i ever saw a Jedi master burst out words with such pure frustration. I stand silent as she pulls herself together. "I know what you're thinking, I went against our code just then but unless some of us escape there will be no code left...none of our teachings...no jedi...no hope." We pause for a quick moment just looking at one another then i perk up. "You are right Master Jocasta I will defend the children with my life." Jocasta nods in gratitude "Those holo chips are the only records future jedi will have left." She says "It is our responsibility to take care of them. Now take the children and go Lemos. Jin-Lo can navigate you through the passageways. I even gave him a data pad contains a map of the Courausant underworld" the young pre-teen human looks up at me with a smile "nobody knows the tunnels like i do master."

An explosion rocks the floor like an earthquake from the battle below. "Alright then its time for us to go young ones" i say. Jin-Lo starts walking us to the back of the archive room to the entrance of the secret passage way then stops and turns to take one last look at his mentor.

Jocasta looks at him, smiles, and says "May the Force Be with y-" With a loud booming explosion the great wooden doors of the libraries main entrance blow open. Knocking over Jocasta her jedi librarians and shelves upon shelves of holo discs and chips shattering when they hit the floor. I jump atop the padwans to defend them from shrapnel and debris. Clone assassins come spilling in through the smoke firing at Jocasta and librarians. "Jin-Lo!" I yell, "get you and Enn inside the passageway and make your way to the city now! I'll be right behind you!" Without hesitation the young padawans knew what they needed to do.

As they enter the secret passageway I disobey Jocasta's orders and run over to her and the other librarians their lightsabers already humming. With great depth i ignite mine as well. "What are you doing get back to the children!" Jocasta says as she deflects incoming blaster fire. "Ill be right behind them I'm not leaving you to die!" Deflecting shots left and right i make my way closer to the clones focusing on taking them out one by one. I could no doubt sense the chief librarians frustration with me but i cant stand aside while she and her librarians get slaughtered. All of the sudden through all the fighting and blaster bolts i feel a familiar presence standing beyond the smokey entrance. With a right horizontal slash and a two step stab to the left i took out what seemed the last two clone assassins. I stop a few yards away from the smokey entrance and felt that familiar presence grow stronger. All of the sudden the high pitched hiss of a lightsaber ignites from beyond the once great wooden doors. I could see its blue blade lighting up the smoke. One would think this to be a fellow jedi until you sense the mere anger and hate radiating from its source. It was then I knew this was no fellow jedi. But the man that Master Dralig and i witnessed leading the attack.

Stepping out of the smoke the Dark Evil Figure i saw atop the temple made form. With his black hood up i couldn't quite make out a face. "Who are you? And why are you doing this?!" I yell. He turned slightly and lifted his hood… He peered at me with his dead yellow eyes filled with nothing but hate and anger. Because of this I almost didn't recognize him at first. When i finally did i was astonished and shell shocked for a moment...i could hardly speak. Then finally i gained the nerve to mutter his name…

"Skywalker?!"

 **Chapter 3**

We just stood there for what seemed like forever. Eyes locked. I hold a face of confusion and anger while he holds a face of malice and hate. What is going on?! Skywalker leading an attack on his own people! This is madness! What could have lead him to do this?

"Master Anakin? What is this?! Why are you killing your own people?!" I said confused and angry. He tilts his head slightly and glares at me when he says "The jedi are no longer my people!" Jocasta and her few remaining librarians line up behind me sabers at the ready. I gain a sense of pity for the dark jedi who stands before me. "Whatever has happened...whoever has twisted your mind, we can help you. Stand down and call off your clones. It doesn't have to end like this Anakin!" A group of clone troopers and clone assassins run up behind the once highly respected member of the jedi council blasters at the ready. "For you and the rest of the jedi it does!" He yelled with an uncontrollable rage before lunging directly at me.

Our blades collide with a high pitched crash as blaster bolts scream past our heads. I almost forgot how skilled he is with a blade. I block his ruthless attacks to the best of my ability waiting for a moment to strike but every time i try to parry an attack he finds a way to stop it. Like a game of Dejerik in a way. He always plays a few moves ahead of me. As we spar near the entrance clones and jedi engage in battle around us. I can tell using my peripheral vision that the battle is not in our favor. Bodies hitting the floor all around us clone and jedi alike but more and more troops keep pouring in. My body start getting week with every swing of my blade...He is to fast...this fight was over before it began. He jumps and strikes down at me as we lock blades, i reach out to the force in an attempt to push him off of me but his hand was already raised to my abdomen. I went flying backwards spinning like a rag doll from his push through the force but somehow I landed on my feet stumbling. "Anakin stop this madness! Let me help you!" I yell in one last attempt to get through to him. Anakin screams a triumphant battle cry as he sprints toward me. Three of the jedi librarians turned to see Anakin sprinting at me and tried to cut in and take him down. Needless to say they were no match… Anakin never slowed his speed or changed direction and his eyes stayed locked on mine. He cut through the librarians seemingly without even trying as he closed in on me. Holding my blade ahead of me i close my eyes and call upon the force. All of the sudden an old familiar voice rang in my ears. "Trust in the force Lemos let it guide you. Embrace it!" "Jorel?!" I whisper to myself in surprise. I allow the force to engulf my mind. The only way i know how to describe it is it felt like time slowed rapidly and all sound muffled. With my eyes shut i couldn't see but i could feel the room around me. I could feel anakin right in front of me. The thrum of his blade closing in on the left side of my head. The force guides my blade swiftly to the left negating his blow. Guiding my feet side stepping to the right as i bring the hilt of my saber down hard on the back of his skull. I feel him fall to the ground hard as time snaps back into place. I open my eyes to see my opponent on the ground before me. He turns his head glaring at me with that look of hatred then leaps at me. Our blades dance together sparking and twirling in the dim lighted library. I finally felt like i had the upper hand when i felt a red hot pain from behind searing my right shoulder blade. I was hit by a blaster. I was so caught up in this fight with Anakin i forgot to watch out for the clones around us. I scream in pain losing my footing. Anakin took full advantage of the situation.

The smell of burnt flesh overcomes my sense of smell as i turn my head and body slightly to the right seeing the clone that shot me not 10 feet away. He fires another shot at me I painfully deflect it back at him with my blade. The bright blue bolt of condensed supercharged plasma energy exploded right in his face when another searing pain ran up my left side from just above my waist line and right up through my left shoulder blade. My body and head curls in the direction of the pain and i scream in agony. Skywalker came in with a perfectly landed upper cut searing my flesh. My tunic and cloak molds with my wounds from the immense heat of the blade and blaster bolt. I begin to fall to my knees as i look at Anakin. With an outstretched hand he breaks my fall through the force and i feel myself being lifted over his head. He looks up at me one last time as our eyes meet. I look into those dark yellow eyes of his and come to the conclusion that he is truly lost. No Matter what i say or do there is no bringing him back. He has truly fallen to the Dark Side. He hovered me over his body for only a second then through me with great force diagonally across the room. I must have been flying through the air fast because I crashed through three holo shelves and i collide head first into the back wall of the library. Then blackness...

I start to regain consciousness...head pounding blurred vision and a familiar presence shaking me awake. "Master wake up...wake up!" My vision begins to make shape and i recognize my apprentice Enn above me. "Master we have to go now!" I place a hand on my head as i sit up a little. "What are you doing her Enn?! I told you and Jin-Lo to-" He cut me off by putting his hand over my mouth. "There's no time for that now you can lecture me later we have to go now! Troops are patrolling what's left of the library. I can sense them heading this way." Enn helped me to my feet. My body battered and bruised. Blood trickling from the side of my face. I grown in pain as i get to my feet. Enn puts my arm around his shoulder and leads me to the passageway entrance. "Wait" i say "my...my lightsaber." "don't worry master i have it. I found it not far from you."

And so we made our way through the library. We had to sneak past a few clones making there rounds looking for any surviving jedi. Stepping over the remains of clones and jedi we make our way through the library. I look down at all there faces as we passed by. Some of them i knew some i didn't, Then I saw her. Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu...her body lay cold and limp atop more bodies and a hole through her sternum. She was impaled by a lightsaber. "Damn you Skywalker...damn you to Chaos." I muttered painfully. Enn gives me a funny look and whispers. "Skywalker? You mean Master Anakin? What would he have to do with all of this?" I look at him out of the corner of my eye and see a look of fear and confusion polluting his face. "Ill tell you everything my young apprentice...but for now we must focus on getting out of her." He nods at me setting me down against a pillar. "Where is Jin-Lo?" I say, he flicks his tech visor downward looking through them like glasses and searching the wall of the library with his eyes. "He is scouting ahead in the tunnels. We have a rendezvous point set...i just got to find the entrance..." He searches for few more seconds when. "Aha! Here it is." He pulls out some kind of tool and inserts it into a slit in the wall that is invisible to the naked eye. I hear a soft click sound and a small section of the wall moves to the left revealing a dark narrow tunnel. Enn gets me back on my feet and we duck into the small passageway that leads us to our inevitable exile.

 **Chapter 4**

We make our way through the small dark passageways for what seemed like a lifetime. "Just a little bit farther Master." says Enn breathing heavily. Im nearly twice his size. The fact that he has supported my weight for this long surprised me. We come to a more open area exiting the cramped passageway. Enns legs give from under him and we fall to the cold damp floor. I lay prone resting to the best of my abilities. My wounds sting with pain. Enn roles over on his back a few feet away breathing heavily trying to catch his breath. Trying to the best of my ability to stay conscious i mutter "Jin-Lo where is he?" Enn answers between heavy breaths "I don't know. He should be here by now. This is the rendezvous spot." Enn sits himself up and cups his hands around his mouth. "Jin! Jin-lo!" He shouts...no answer. "Where could he be? You don't think the clones found there way into the secret tunnels do you?" I push myself up with what little strength i have and wince in pain. "Its hard to say...I hope he didn't get lost." "no way" enn says "not Jin-Lo nobody knows these tunnels better than him. He practically grew up down here." I sit myself up. Every move i make sending shooting pain through my scorched wounds. I grown in agonising pain. Enn gives me a look of worry. "Let me take a look at those wounds." Enn pulls of his tool pack taking out a medi kit from a side pocket. He kneels down next to me flicking down his tech visor to examining my wounds. "Large gash and swelling on the left side of the cranium...bruising of the chest." he lifts his finger to click a button on the side of his visor. "As i suspected. You have a 3 fractured ribs. As long as you don't do anything to straining they should heal on their own." I give him a puzzled look. "Since when does that contraption of yours have x-ray vision?" I say trying to ignore the pain. "When you went to Ryloth on that extraction mission a few months back" He says as he cares for the gash on my head. "I helped out in the medical wing while you were away. Thought it would come in handy." I chuckle at him slightly as pain shoots through my rib cage. "Well you were right about that. Good thinking. It still amazes me the things you come up with." Enn finishes patching up my head then begins to examine the wounds on my back. "Deep Plasma burn on the right shoulder blade...that clone must have hit you close. 15 feet?" "I guessed 10" I reply "but it was hard to tell with all the-" Enn cut me off...his voice full of confusion and terror. "This wound running up your left side...this was from a...a lightsaber." We lock eyes for a moment. Just sitting there. "Master Skywalker? That's who did this. That's why you cursed his name back there…" I could tell Enn was trying to hold back tears. "Never refer to him as Master again young one. He lost that title and that honor. He is someone else now...something else. I saw it in his eyes."

Nothing was said after that. We both sat in silence as he tended to my injuries to the best of his abilities with what little medical supplies he has. And then the time came to go. Not wanting to worry my young apprentice i kept my pain to myself as best as i could. He still had to help me walk but at least i stopped slipping in and out of consciousness. We walk for another 20 minutes or so guessing our way through the maze of cold stone when Enn says "I'm not sure we will ever make it out of here master...not without Jin-Lo. I haven't felt his presence since we split up. We never should have done that. I'm sorry i disobeyed your orders Master Lemos. It was careless and reckless of me." "No apology necessary my apprentice. I did not set a good example by disobeying Jocasta's orders. It is I who made the mistake, I should have gone with the both of you. I stood no match against skywalker." "Yes but you could not have known that master...at least you tried." I couldnt help but try to turn this into a lesson as i say "try..no Enn. As master yoda would say we do or we don't" He cuts in "there is no try..." we both walked in silence after that. My mind raced thinking of all my jedi friends. Did any escape? Are there any survivors? There must be. There are jedi all across the galaxy. I can only imagine Enn was thinking the same thing.

We headed deeper and deeper into the tunnels in search of Jin-Lo. I reach out through the force trying to get some kind of lead on his whereabouts...but nothing. Wherever he is he isn't within these tunnels and if he is...he is dead. I can't help feel responsible. I let my emotions get the best of me. I have failed the younglings, I have failed Jocasta...and i have failed the jedi. Those hollo tapes and holocrons are too important to lose. Not that i don't think Jin-Lo can take care of himself but he is only a child. I just hope it's not too late. Once again i get lost in my thoughts as i tend to do, then Enn perks up. "Master...Look!" I quickly snap my head down a new corridor to our right. I see bodies...clone bodies. Sprawled out on the floor. Blaster and lightsaber scores on the walls and floor. The smell of fizzled plasma fills my nose. "They found there way down here...this is bad." Enn said. We make our way closer. Hoping we don't find Jin-Lo's body among the rest. Enn rests me against the wall and begins a thorough investigation of the battle that took place. "Four clones...no sign of Jin-Lo" Thank the force i thought to myself. "Jin-Lo was never much of a fighter. I'm surprised he was able to take them all out." enn said as he flips down his tech visor. My eyes look around in an investigation of my own. "He took them by surprise. That's how he got the upper hand" I say. "Notice the two closest to me. They were hit in the back. The other two gave him a little bit of trouble hence the blaster marks on the walls. But he eventually got them. The one on the left took a deflected blaster shot to the stomach. The other a vertical slash to the chest." Enn gives me a look through his visor. "Judging by their body temp this fight took place a while ago. I'm guessing around the time i found you. There's no trace of Jin tho. Or any other troopers. Why didn't he make his way back?" "Like you said. He wasn't much of a fighter. Maybe he got spooked and he ran." I say trying to imagine what was going through the younglings mind. "Yeah Maybe" Enn said "Well at least we have an idea on his direction. We better keep moving." Enn puts my arm around his shoulder once again as we continue down the paths. We didn't make it very far when we saw another mark on the wall. This mark was from a lightsaber. "Hmm that's odd. No sign of a fight." Said my apprentice. I think a moment and realize this wasn't from another encounter with clones. Jin-Lo was leaving us a trail. I look at Enn about to relay the information but i could tell by the look on his face he new what i was gonna say. We take off down the tunnels as fast as my body will allow following the trail that the young jedi left for us.

My guess an hour must have passed following Jin-Lo's trail when my apprentice and i smell something horrid. A smell that would make bantha fodder seem like a sweet perfume. "Oh what is that!" Enn said putting his forearm up covering his nose. "Its terrible!" He said in a muffled voice." All of the sudden the sound of splashing arises from under our feet. "We must be in the sewers now." I call upon the force to dull my sense of smell. "I...I think I'm gonna be-" Enn started before vomiting up everything that was in his stomach. As he was finishing i feel a slight breeze on my face. "Come now my apprentice there is an exit near by," Enn wipes his face with the sleeve of his tunic. "Yeah...let's go." He gasped. We make our way through the sewer trudging through goopy water and following the brees. Up ahead we see a ladder leading up to an opening far above our heads. "That must be where the breeze is coming from." I say. I take a few more steps when my foot kicks something under the rancid water. "Hold on a moment." we stop and i kneel down feeling a slight pain shoot through my ribs as i dip my hand in the sludge. Feeling around for a moment my hand grips around some kind of metal cylinder. I pull it from the sewage standing up. In my hand lay a lightsaber. "Master thats.." "Lin-Lo's saber" I say finishing his sentence. I stand there just holding it for a moment. Enn walks to the ladder and picks something up that was dangling from one of its steps. "Master look." He faces my direction holding up his find. Dangling from his middle and index finger was a padawan braid. Similar to Enns just slightly shorter. "I think i was right Enn. He did get spooked and ran. When he finally came to this exit he was afraid he would be identified by his braid in town. He used his saber to cut it off then…he left his saber behind. Must have been to afraid to bring it along. If he was ever caught with it he would surely be incarcerated or worse." Enn looks to the ground sighing. "Poor Jin-Lo. He must have been so scared. Master we have to find him." I nod in agreement. "And we will my young apprentice. But first we need rest and provisions. And if i don't get better care for these wounds they will fester. Enn...I'm afraid i won't last long without serious medical attention." he gives me a look of worry and understanding, "I know master. But where can we go? Any medical facility will surely need some sort of ID before treating you. And those wounds are to obvious. They will notify the authorities upon inspection." I pause as i realize my padawan is absolutely right. Where will we go? What will we do? And then it hit me. "Dev" Enn gives me a puzzled look. "Wait what's that?" I raise my eyebrow at him. "Not what...who. Dev Hoff. Last i heard he was joining the republic navey. He is an old friend of mine. His father and my former Master helped each other out on many occasions. I haven't seen him in a long time. Last i saw him was about a year before i took you on as my apprentice. If anyone can help us Its him." "well let's get going master i can't stand to be in this stench for another second. And we are gonna have one heck of a time getting you up this ladder." Before we did Enn pulled a small vibroknife from his pack and cut off his own padawan brade. He held his and Jins in hand for a few seconds before letting them fall to the sludgy water below. Enn took Jin's saber form my hand, cleaned it off, and put it in his pack along with ours.

Together we ascend the ladder to our escape. I had to call upon the force for strength and to dull my pain but it was still excruciating. Never in my life have i experienced as much pain as i have today. I hope that my padawan and i can find safe refuge soon or i fear that i won't survive my wounds. And Jin-Lo...that poor child. I can only imagine how scared he must have been. All on his own not knowing where to go or what to do and in the possession of some of the jedi's most precious information. We need to find him...against all odds we must find him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 1**

Standing atop the Ziggurat of the Jedi Temple I, Leseus Lemos stare at the dark blue starlit Coruscant sky in wonder. It's hard to believe how many worlds i have visited in my lifetime. Hundreds? Maybe thousands? I lost count long ago. Its seems so strange such a beautiful night but something doesn't feel right. Not so much a disturbance in the force but a small tremor. But now is not the time to worry i just got back from a long investigation on Nal Hutta with my padawan Enn Keth, and i just need a little time to relax and the best way for me to do this is to gaze away at the stars.

Enn. I still remember the day I met him like it was yesterday. It was 5 years ago. He was around 10 years of age. A bright minded youngling with eyes exploding with dreams of adventure. Instead of focusing heavily on lightsaber combat or delving deeper into the force like most of the younglings his age he had his nose stuck in a data pad. I remember all the younglings showing off their skills for prospecting Jedi Masters. But Enn...just sat quietly studying. I still don't know why but i just felt a connection to him. Like the force beckoned me to the youngling. I remember approaching him and asking him what he was reading. I can't quite remember what it was now. Something to do with some kind of tech or engineering. Shortly after he explained to me some of his inventions and ideas. I remember thinking that not only could he learn from me but i could learn much from him as well. I knew in that moment we would make a great team. I immediately took him as my first padawan learner. He has come a long way since the day we met tho he still has years of hard work ahead of him. But i have faith when the time comes he will pass the trials and become one of the orders finest Jedi Knights.

Me on the other hand. I have been a member of the jedi order all my life. When i was ten years old Jedi Master Jorel Lokar chose me to be his padawan and to this day i couldn't have asked for a better instructor. He was a counselor at heart, never to ignite his lightsaber unless it was absolutely crucial. He was amazing at ending conflict with only his words and the occasional persuasion through the force but never for personal gain. In my youth i always had an itchy trigger finger but somehow through all my recklessness Master Lokar sculpted me into the Jedi Knight I am today.

As I stare deeper and deeper into the open universe i get lost in my thoughts. So lost that i almost didn't notice a familiar presence walk up behind me. "Daydreaming again Master Lemos?" After I heard his voice i could identify the famous Jedi Battlemaster, Cin Drallig. "Master Drallig I haven't seen you in a hutts age!" I say as i turn around and shake his hand. "Ever since you were a youngling your mind had a tendency to wander. But at least you always had your mindset when it was time for training." He said with a smile.

Known as Battlemaster by all the jedi Cin Drallig is not only a master of the blade but one of the greatest teachers in the history of the galaxy. He explained that he just got done instructing a lightsaber dueling lesson with two young padawans Bene and Whie who are showing much promise. But the padawan who is showing the most improvement by far is Serra Keto. She is considered his best student. Her skill in lightsaber combat excels. She has spared with my padawan Enn on multiple occasions and she always seems to best him.

"It seemed like you drifted off into deep space there. What were you thinking so hard about?" Somehow i knew he would ask me that even though I'm sure he already knew. "I was just thinking about Master Lokar." "Ah Jorel...one of the greatest Jedi I ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was a close friend of mine. I miss him dearly." It is always hard to lose a fellow Jedi especially one that had been my mentor for most of my life. But as Jedi we must remember the first entry of our code: There Is No Emotion, There is Peace." "I miss him as well." I said. "But we mustn't grieve his death but celebrate his life and what his teachings stood for." The renowned Jedi Master put his hand on my shoulder, chuckled, and grinning ear to ear as he says. "He taught you very well old friend. I bet all the credits in the galaxy that your teachings are just as good if not better." I nod in self gratitude. "I just hope it sticks with Enn as it did me."

Drallig gives me one last pat on the shoulder. I watch him as he turns and makes his way back to the turbolift. He didn't take five full steps and that small tremor in the force I felt earlier turned into a complete catastrophic quake. This was no mere disturbance in the force but an awakening of pure destruction and evil. The battle master stops dead In his tracks. "Did you?..." He muttered. Truthfully not a single Jedi in the entire galaxy didn't feel it. As I try to reach deeper into the force to find some kind of answer for the big question a faint sound off in the distance broke my concentration. It came from beyond the main entrance of the Jedi temple. Looking at Drallig i could tell he hears it to. Without saying a word we both run in a full sprint atop the temple to the very edge directly above of the great entrance.

Looking down on the great steps all I see is white. The sound we heard was a Legion of Clone troopers marching up the great many steps of the Jedi temple. "Clone troopers?! Why would clone troopers be marching on the temple?" My mind could hardly comprehend that this all was actually happening. "They are in battle formation!" Dralig said loudly. "Who would order them to do such a thing?!" I say. Dralig looks at me with wide eyes "only one man has the power to do that" I look back "senator palpatine..."

Dralig says to me with haste "Go to the lower levels and help fend them off ill make my way to the younglings and evacuate them!" He pulls out is comlink. "Serra i need you to meet me immediately!" The voice of a small yet confident and strong young girl answered through the comlink. "What's going on master?! Did you feel-" "We are being attacked" he cut her off calmly yet eagerly, "the clones are marching on the temple we need to EVAC the younglings." "On my way." She answers without hesitation.

Dralig was about to leap into a full force induced sprint when, "Wait!" I yelled as I point down "look at the front line! Somebody is leading them!" Cin looked over the edge once more. A figure in a dark cloak was leading the march. "Who could that be?" I say to myself. I look over at my friend and notice his eyes close. He is reaching out with the force to try and identify the dark evil figure. Before I had the chance to do the same he said with great worry and sadness "no...it can't be" The Jedi master turned and ran back toward the turbolift with great haste. "Who is it?! Wait! Master Drallig!" But through the force he was halfway to his destination before I could even spit out the words. Who knew that would be the last time i would see my old friend…

 **Chapter 2**

As i speed down a turbo lift i can feel the battle between clone and jedi begin to escalate beneath my feet. Crescendoing into a massive symphony of blaster shots and light saber hums. I get on my comlink "Enn come in. What is your location?!" I say impatiently. "I'm in the archive room with Jin-Lo Rayce. We were studying history on the jedi civil war when we felt-" i cut him off "listen Enn we haven't much time im almost to your level we must descend to the lower levels and help fend off the clones!" The young padawan replies whimpering "Clones master?" "Wait for me to come get you and we will descend together." A sick feeling rose from my gut to my throat as i mutter my next words. "Enn...They have turned on us." I tuck my comlink quickly into my belt faintly hearing an attempted reply.

I stopped the turbo lift on the appropriate floor and sprinted down narrow pillared corridors toward the Room of the Jedi Archives also known as the great library. Around me are other Jedi running in multiple directions to defend the one place we call home. Sprinting left and right through different corridors I came to a round open room with beautiful statues and sculptures of jedi Knights atop multiple other corridor entrances. What beautiful architecture. A jedi standing in front of one of these entrances yells for my attention. "This way! To the lower levels!" I come to a quick stop and reply to the human jedi with his green saber already ignited in his hand. "Im retrieving my padawan then we'll be right behind you!" My Jedi Brother nods and heads down the corridor to the right running with both hands grasping his saber ready for combat. As i head for the left corridor i hear loud blaster fire and a shrilling scream. I turn around to look down the hall….Clone Troopers carelessly stepping over the black scored corpse of the jedi i spoke to not a moment ago. The seven troopers raise their blasters and begin to fire upon me as they enter the open room.

Quickly unholstering my lightsaber i ignite its bright blue luminescent blade just in time to deflect the first round of shots. Through the Force i hold out my left hand and push the three troops on the left against the hard wall rattling them nearly unconscious as the other four start to close in. Deflecting shot after shot i finally manage to deflect one back at a trouper directly in the heart no doubt killing him almost instantly. Another runs at me from my right in attempt to tackle me to the ground but with one swift diagonal uppercut of my blade I singed right through his white chest plate from his lower left abdomen up to his right shoulder. Nearly cutting all the way through him.. Deflecting shots from the remaining Clones i slowly back into the last corridor i need to run down.

All off the sudden more troopers come spilling into the open room from the other corridors. 'How in Chaos did they get to the upper levels so fast?!' i think to myself. The battle below must not be holding up. I call upon the force to remove the once beautiful statues and pillars on the walls to block the entrance of my corridor. With loud cracks and crumbles the big devine pieces of jedi history come crashing down from the walls and fall in front of the corridor entrance by my control. One of the troopers tried to roll into the corridor before pieces of the wall touched ground. But he wasn't quick enough. They hit the ground with a loud smash crushing the clone. With this entrance now blocked off i ran quickly down the corridor to my destination. A tear roles down my cheek...my once brothers in arms were trying to kill me, my family, and destroy my home. I wipe the tear away and repeat to myself over and over as i run down the hallway. "There is no emotion, there is no emotion."

Disengaging and holstering my lightsaber i arrive at the Archive Room to meet my padawan Enn at this entrance. With his Tech visor mounted atop his head and his tool pack strapped tightly to is back he runs up to me quickly. I could tell he sensed my presence quickly. "Master! Thank the force you made it! I thought the clones got you for sure!" "and they almost did" I reply as we jog to the middle of the great library. There Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu was putting holo chips into a bag with her padawan Jin-Lo Rayce. "Master Lemos I need your assistance at once!" said Jocasta with her aged feminine voice. "Master Jocasta I strongly suggest you start destroying the archives at once." I say as i approach "The Clones are already spilling into the upper levels and we cannot let them get there hands on this information." The old woman hushes me strictly. "My library assistants are already on it!" I look around the upper levels of the library and see jedi extending their lightsabers slashing through the shelves of precious jedi history. My heart began to sink. Whatever is happening just became more real to me. Without saying a word to her she perks up rushingly. "It saddens me too but there is no time! They will be here in moments.' (Just because i blocked one entrance to the archive room doesn't mean there isn't more) 'I packed Jin-Lo a bag of some of our most precious data chips and i need you and Enn to escape the temple with him through the secret passages here in the library. You will have a better chance getting out together." I reply in disagreement "Enn should go with Jin-Lo he will protect him well. I will stay here and help you and the other librarians fend them off." Enn percs up "Hey i don't want to run i want to fight!" Then Jin-Lo "Yeah! why can't we help defend our home!" "Listen to me!" Jocasta Snaps at the padawans "I understand you both are very skilled in the ways of the force but…" She looks at me "they are still only children Lemos...they need your guidance after evading this catastrophe." Her voice gets louder "They won't know what to do or where to go they need a MASTER!" She sputters with booming emotion. That is the first time i ever saw a Jedi master burst out words with such pure frustration. I stand silent as she pulls herself together. "I know what you're thinking, I went against our code just then but unless some of us escape there will be no code left...none of our teachings...no jedi...no hope." We pause for a quick moment just looking at one another then i perk up. "You are right Master Jocasta I will defend the children with my life." Jocasta nods in gratitude "Those holo chips are the only records future jedi will have left." She says "It is our responsibility to take care of them. Now take the children and go Lemos. Jin-Lo can navigate you through the passageways. I even gave him a data pad contains a map of the Courausant underworld" the young pre-teen human looks up at me with a smile "nobody knows the tunnels like i do master."

An explosion rocks the floor like an earthquake from the battle below. "Alright then its time for us to go young ones" i say. Jin-Lo starts walking us to the back of the archive room to the entrance of the secret passage way then stops and turns to take one last look at his mentor.

Jocasta looks at him, smiles, and says "May the Force Be with y-" With a loud booming explosion the great wooden doors of the libraries main entrance blow open. Knocking over Jocasta her jedi librarians and shelves upon shelves of holo discs and chips shattering when they hit the floor. I jump atop the padwans to defend them from shrapnel and debris. Clone assassins come spilling in through the smoke firing at Jocasta and librarians. "Jin-Lo!" I yell, "get you and Enn inside the passageway and make your way to the city now! I'll be right behind you!" Without hesitation the young padawans knew what they needed to do.

As they enter the secret passageway I disobey Jocasta's orders and run over to her and the other librarians their lightsabers already humming. With great depth i ignite mine as well. "What are you doing get back to the children!" Jocasta says as she deflects incoming blaster fire. "Ill be right behind them I'm not leaving you to die!" Deflecting shots left and right i make my way closer to the clones focusing on taking them out one by one. I could no doubt sense the chief librarians frustration with me but i cant stand aside while she and her librarians get slaughtered. All of the sudden through all the fighting and blaster bolts i feel a familiar presence standing beyond the smokey entrance. With a right horizontal slash and a two step stab to the left i took out what seemed the last two clone assassins. I stop a few yards away from the smokey entrance and felt that familiar presence grow stronger. All of the sudden the high pitched hiss of a lightsaber ignites from beyond the once great wooden doors. I could see its blue blade lighting up the smoke. One would think this to be a fellow jedi until you sense the mere anger and hate radiating from its source. It was then I knew this was no fellow jedi. But the man that Master Dralig and i witnessed leading the attack.

Stepping out of the smoke the Dark Evil Figure i saw atop the temple made form. With his black hood up i couldn't quite make out a face. "Who are you? And why are you doing this?!" I yell. He turned slightly and lifted his hood… He peered at me with his dead yellow eyes filled with nothing but hate and anger. Because of this I almost didn't recognize him at first. When i finally did i was astonished and shell shocked for a moment...i could hardly speak. Then finally i gained the nerve to mutter his name…

"Skywalker?!"

 **Chapter 3**

We just stood there for what seemed like forever. Eyes locked. I hold a face of confusion and anger while he holds a face of malice and hate. What is going on?! Skywalker leading an attack on his own people! This is madness! What could have lead him to do this?

"Master Anakin? What is this?! Why are you killing your own people?!" I said confused and angry. He tilts his head slightly and glares at me when he says "The jedi are no longer my people!" Jocasta and her few remaining librarians line up behind me sabers at the ready. I gain a sense of pity for the dark jedi who stands before me. "Whatever has happened...whoever has twisted your mind, we can help you. Stand down and call off your clones. It doesn't have to end like this Anakin!" A group of clone troopers and clone assassins run up behind the once highly respected member of the jedi council blasters at the ready. "For you and the rest of the jedi it does!" He yelled with an uncontrollable rage before lunging directly at me.

Our blades collide with a high pitched crash as blaster bolts scream past our heads. I almost forgot how skilled he is with a blade. I block his ruthless attacks to the best of my ability waiting for a moment to strike but every time i try to parry an attack he finds a way to stop it. Like a game of Dejerik in a way. He always plays a few moves ahead of me. As we spar near the entrance clones and jedi engage in battle around us. I can tell using my peripheral vision that the battle is not in our favor. Bodies hitting the floor all around us clone and jedi alike but more and more troops keep pouring in. My body start getting week with every swing of my blade...He is to fast...this fight was over before it began. He jumps and strikes down at me as we lock blades, i reach out to the force in an attempt to push him off of me but his hand was already raised to my abdomen. I went flying backwards spinning like a rag doll from his push through the force but somehow I landed on my feet stumbling. "Anakin stop this madness! Let me help you!" I yell in one last attempt to get through to him. Anakin screams a triumphant battle cry as he sprints toward me. Three of the jedi librarians turned to see Anakin sprinting at me and tried to cut in and take him down. Needless to say they were no match… Anakin never slowed his speed or changed direction and his eyes stayed locked on mine. He cut through the librarians seemingly without even trying as he closed in on me. Holding my blade ahead of me i close my eyes and call upon the force. All of the sudden an old familiar voice rang in my ears. "Trust in the force Lemos let it guide you. Embrace it!" "Jorel?!" I whisper to myself in surprise. I allow the force to engulf my mind. The only way i know how to describe it is it felt like time slowed rapidly and all sound muffled. With my eyes shut i couldn't see but i could feel the room around me. I could feel anakin right in front of me. The thrum of his blade closing in on the left side of my head. The force guides my blade swiftly to the left negating his blow. Guiding my feet side stepping to the right as i bring the hilt of my saber down hard on the back of his skull. I feel him fall to the ground hard as time snaps back into place. I open my eyes to see my opponent on the ground before me. He turns his head glaring at me with that look of hatred then leaps at me. Our blades dance together sparking and twirling in the dim lighted library. I finally felt like i had the upper hand when i felt a red hot pain from behind searing my right shoulder blade. I was hit by a blaster. I was so caught up in this fight with Anakin i forgot to watch out for the clones around us. I scream in pain losing my footing. Anakin took full advantage of the situation.

The smell of burnt flesh overcomes my sense of smell as i turn my head and body slightly to the right seeing the clone that shot me not 10 feet away. He fires another shot at me I painfully deflect it back at him with my blade. The bright blue bolt of condensed supercharged plasma energy exploded right in his face when another searing pain ran up my left side from just above my waist line and right up through my left shoulder blade. My body and head curls in the direction of the pain and i scream in agony. Skywalker came in with a perfectly landed upper cut searing my flesh. My tunic and cloak molds with my wounds from the immense heat of the blade and blaster bolt. I begin to fall to my knees as i look at Anakin. With an outstretched hand he breaks my fall through the force and i feel myself being lifted over his head. He looks up at me one last time as our eyes meet. I look into those dark yellow eyes of his and come to the conclusion that he is truly lost. No Matter what i say or do there is no bringing him back. He has truly fallen to the Dark Side. He hovered me over his body for only a second then through me with great force diagonally across the room. I must have been flying through the air fast because I crashed through three holo shelves and i collide head first into the back wall of the library. Then blackness...

I start to regain consciousness...head pounding blurred vision and a familiar presence shaking me awake. "Master wake up...wake up!" My vision begins to make shape and i recognize my apprentice Enn above me. "Master we have to go now!" I place a hand on my head as i sit up a little. "What are you doing her Enn?! I told you and Jin-Lo to-" He cut me off by putting his hand over my mouth. "There's no time for that now you can lecture me later we have to go now! Troops are patrolling what's left of the library. I can sense them heading this way." Enn helped me to my feet. My body battered and bruised. Blood trickling from the side of my face. I grown in pain as i get to my feet. Enn puts my arm around his shoulder and leads me to the passageway entrance. "Wait" i say "my...my lightsaber." "don't worry master i have it. I found it not far from you."

And so we made our way through the library. We had to sneak past a few clones making there rounds looking for any surviving jedi. Stepping over the remains of clones and jedi we make our way through the library. I look down at all there faces as we passed by. Some of them i knew some i didn't, Then I saw her. Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu...her body lay cold and limp atop more bodies and a hole through her sternum. She was impaled by a lightsaber. "Damn you Skywalker...damn you to Chaos." I muttered painfully. Enn gives me a funny look and whispers. "Skywalker? You mean Master Anakin? What would he have to do with all of this?" I look at him out of the corner of my eye and see a look of fear and confusion polluting his face. "Ill tell you everything my young apprentice...but for now we must focus on getting out of her." He nods at me setting me down against a pillar. "Where is Jin-Lo?" I say, he flicks his tech visor downward looking through them like glasses and searching the wall of the library with his eyes. "He is scouting ahead in the tunnels. We have a rendezvous point set...i just got to find the entrance..." He searches for few more seconds when. "Aha! Here it is." He pulls out some kind of tool and inserts it into a slit in the wall that is invisible to the naked eye. I hear a soft click sound and a small section of the wall moves to the left revealing a dark narrow tunnel. Enn gets me back on my feet and we duck into the small passageway that leads us to our inevitable exile.

 **Chapter 4**

We make our way through the small dark passageways for what seemed like a lifetime. "Just a little bit farther Master." says Enn breathing heavily. Im nearly twice his size. The fact that he has supported my weight for this long surprised me. We come to a more open area exiting the cramped passageway. Enns legs give from under him and we fall to the cold damp floor. I lay prone resting to the best of my abilities. My wounds sting with pain. Enn roles over on his back a few feet away breathing heavily trying to catch his breath. Trying to the best of my ability to stay conscious i mutter "Jin-Lo where is he?" Enn answers between heavy breaths "I don't know. He should be here by now. This is the rendezvous spot." Enn sits himself up and cups his hands around his mouth. "Jin! Jin-lo!" He shouts...no answer. "Where could he be? You don't think the clones found there way into the secret tunnels do you?" I push myself up with what little strength i have and wince in pain. "Its hard to say...I hope he didn't get lost." "no way" enn says "not Jin-Lo nobody knows these tunnels better than him. He practically grew up down here." I sit myself up. Every move i make sending shooting pain through my scorched wounds. I grown in agonising pain. Enn gives me a look of worry. "Let me take a look at those wounds." Enn pulls of his tool pack taking out a medi kit from a side pocket. He kneels down next to me flicking down his tech visor to examining my wounds. "Large gash and swelling on the left side of the cranium...bruising of the chest." he lifts his finger to click a button on the side of his visor. "As i suspected. You have a 3 fractured ribs. As long as you don't do anything to straining they should heal on their own." I give him a puzzled look. "Since when does that contraption of yours have x-ray vision?" I say trying to ignore the pain. "When you went to Ryloth on that extraction mission a few months back" He says as he cares for the gash on my head. "I helped out in the medical wing while you were away. Thought it would come in handy." I chuckle at him slightly as pain shoots through my rib cage. "Well you were right about that. Good thinking. It still amazes me the things you come up with." Enn finishes patching up my head then begins to examine the wounds on my back. "Deep Plasma burn on the right shoulder blade...that clone must have hit you close. 15 feet?" "I guessed 10" I reply "but it was hard to tell with all the-" Enn cut me off...his voice full of confusion and terror. "This wound running up your left side...this was from a...a lightsaber." We lock eyes for a moment. Just sitting there. "Master Skywalker? That's who did this. That's why you cursed his name back there…" I could tell Enn was trying to hold back tears. "Never refer to him as Master again young one. He lost that title and that honor. He is someone else now...something else. I saw it in his eyes."

Nothing was said after that. We both sat in silence as he tended to my injuries to the best of his abilities with what little medical supplies he has. And then the time came to go. Not wanting to worry my young apprentice i kept my pain to myself as best as i could. He still had to help me walk but at least i stopped slipping in and out of consciousness. We walk for another 20 minutes or so guessing our way through the maze of cold stone when Enn says "I'm not sure we will ever make it out of here master...not without Jin-Lo. I haven't felt his presence since we split up. We never should have done that. I'm sorry i disobeyed your orders Master Lemos. It was careless and reckless of me." "No apology necessary my apprentice. I did not set a good example by disobeying Jocasta's orders. It is I who made the mistake, I should have gone with the both of you. I stood no match against skywalker." "Yes but you could not have known that master...at least you tried." I couldnt help but try to turn this into a lesson as i say "try..no Enn. As master yoda would say we do or we don't" He cuts in "there is no try..." we both walked in silence after that. My mind raced thinking of all my jedi friends. Did any escape? Are there any survivors? There must be. There are jedi all across the galaxy. I can only imagine Enn was thinking the same thing.

We headed deeper and deeper into the tunnels in search of Jin-Lo. I reach out through the force trying to get some kind of lead on his whereabouts...but nothing. Wherever he is he isn't within these tunnels and if he is...he is dead. I can't help feel responsible. I let my emotions get the best of me. I have failed the younglings, I have failed Jocasta...and i have failed the jedi. Those hollo tapes and holocrons are too important to lose. Not that i don't think Jin-Lo can take care of himself but he is only a child. I just hope it's not too late. Once again i get lost in my thoughts as i tend to do, then Enn perks up. "Master...Look!" I quickly snap my head down a new corridor to our right. I see bodies...clone bodies. Sprawled out on the floor. Blaster and lightsaber scores on the walls and floor. The smell of fizzled plasma fills my nose. "They found there way down here...this is bad." Enn said. We make our way closer. Hoping we don't find Jin-Lo's body among the rest. Enn rests me against the wall and begins a thorough investigation of the battle that took place. "Four clones...no sign of Jin-Lo" Thank the force i thought to myself. "Jin-Lo was never much of a fighter. I'm surprised he was able to take them all out." enn said as he flips down his tech visor. My eyes look around in an investigation of my own. "He took them by surprise. That's how he got the upper hand" I say. "Notice the two closest to me. They were hit in the back. The other two gave him a little bit of trouble hence the blaster marks on the walls. But he eventually got them. The one on the left took a deflected blaster shot to the stomach. The other a vertical slash to the chest." Enn gives me a look through his visor. "Judging by their body temp this fight took place a while ago. I'm guessing around the time i found you. There's no trace of Jin tho. Or any other troopers. Why didn't he make his way back?" "Like you said. He wasn't much of a fighter. Maybe he got spooked and he ran." I say trying to imagine what was going through the younglings mind. "Yeah Maybe" Enn said "Well at least we have an idea on his direction. We better keep moving." Enn puts my arm around his shoulder once again as we continue down the paths. We didn't make it very far when we saw another mark on the wall. This mark was from a lightsaber. "Hmm that's odd. No sign of a fight." Said my apprentice. I think a moment and realize this wasn't from another encounter with clones. Jin-Lo was leaving us a trail. I look at Enn about to relay the information but i could tell by the look on his face he new what i was gonna say. We take off down the tunnels as fast as my body will allow following the trail that the young jedi left for us.

My guess an hour must have passed following Jin-Lo's trail when my apprentice and i smell something horrid. A smell that would make bantha fodder seem like a sweet perfume. "Oh what is that!" Enn said putting his forearm up covering his nose. "Its terrible!" He said in a muffled voice." All of the sudden the sound of splashing arises from under our feet. "We must be in the sewers now." I call upon the force to dull my sense of smell. "I...I think I'm gonna be-" Enn started before vomiting up everything that was in his stomach. As he was finishing i feel a slight breeze on my face. "Come now my apprentice there is an exit near by," Enn wipes his face with the sleeve of his tunic. "Yeah...let's go." He gasped. We make our way through the sewer trudging through goopy water and following the brees. Up ahead we see a ladder leading up to an opening far above our heads. "That must be where the breeze is coming from." I say. I take a few more steps when my foot kicks something under the rancid water. "Hold on a moment." we stop and i kneel down feeling a slight pain shoot through my ribs as i dip my hand in the sludge. Feeling around for a moment my hand grips around some kind of metal cylinder. I pull it from the sewage standing up. In my hand lay a lightsaber. "Master thats.." "Lin-Lo's saber" I say finishing his sentence. I stand there just holding it for a moment. Enn walks to the ladder and picks something up that was dangling from one of its steps. "Master look." He faces my direction holding up his find. Dangling from his middle and index finger was a padawan braid. Similar to Enns just slightly shorter. "I think i was right Enn. He did get spooked and ran. When he finally came to this exit he was afraid he would be identified by his braid in town. He used his saber to cut it off then…he left his saber behind. Must have been to afraid to bring it along. If he was ever caught with it he would surely be incarcerated or worse." Enn looks to the ground sighing. "Poor Jin-Lo. He must have been so scared. Master we have to find him." I nod in agreement. "And we will my young apprentice. But first we need rest and provisions. And if i don't get better care for these wounds they will fester. Enn...I'm afraid i won't last long without serious medical attention." he gives me a look of worry and understanding, "I know master. But where can we go? Any medical facility will surely need some sort of ID before treating you. And those wounds are to obvious. They will notify the authorities upon inspection." I pause as i realize my padawan is absolutely right. Where will we go? What will we do? And then it hit me. "Dev" Enn gives me a puzzled look. "Wait what's that?" I raise my eyebrow at him. "Not what...who. Dev Hoff. Last i heard he was joining the republic navey. He is an old friend of mine. His father and my former Master helped each other out on many occasions. I haven't seen him in a long time. Last i saw him was about a year before i took you on as my apprentice. If anyone can help us Its him." "well let's get going master i can't stand to be in this stench for another second. And we are gonna have one heck of a time getting you up this ladder." Before we did Enn pulled a small vibroknife from his pack and cut off his own padawan brade. He held his and Jins in hand for a few seconds before letting them fall to the sludgy water below. Enn took Jin's saber form my hand, cleaned it off, and put it in his pack along with ours.

Together we ascend the ladder to our escape. I had to call upon the force for strength and to dull my pain but it was still excruciating. Never in my life have i experienced as much pain as i have today. I hope that my padawan and i can find safe refuge soon or i fear that i won't survive my wounds. And Jin-Lo...that poor child. I can only imagine how scared he must have been. All on his own not knowing where to go or what to do and in the possession of some of the jedi's most precious information. We need to find him...against all odds we must find him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 1**

Standing atop the Ziggurat of the Jedi Temple I, Leseus Lemos stare at the dark blue starlit Coruscant sky in wonder. It's hard to believe how many worlds i have visited in my lifetime. Hundreds? Maybe thousands? I lost count long ago. Its seems so strange such a beautiful night but something doesn't feel right. Not so much a disturbance in the force but a small tremor. But now is not the time to worry i just got back from a long investigation on Nal Hutta with my padawan Enn Keth, and i just need a little time to relax and the best way for me to do this is to gaze away at the stars.

Enn. I still remember the day I met him like it was yesterday. It was 5 years ago. He was around 10 years of age. A bright minded youngling with eyes exploding with dreams of adventure. Instead of focusing heavily on lightsaber combat or delving deeper into the force like most of the younglings his age he had his nose stuck in a data pad. I remember all the younglings showing off their skills for prospecting Jedi Masters. But Enn...just sat quietly studying. I still don't know why but i just felt a connection to him. Like the force beckoned me to the youngling. I remember approaching him and asking him what he was reading. I can't quite remember what it was now. Something to do with some kind of tech or engineering. Shortly after he explained to me some of his inventions and ideas. I remember thinking that not only could he learn from me but i could learn much from him as well. I knew in that moment we would make a great team. I immediately took him as my first padawan learner. He has come a long way since the day we met tho he still has years of hard work ahead of him. But i have faith when the time comes he will pass the trials and become one of the orders finest Jedi Knights.

Me on the other hand. I have been a member of the jedi order all my life. When i was ten years old Jedi Master Jorel Lokar chose me to be his padawan and to this day i couldn't have asked for a better instructor. He was a counselor at heart, never to ignite his lightsaber unless it was absolutely crucial. He was amazing at ending conflict with only his words and the occasional persuasion through the force but never for personal gain. In my youth i always had an itchy trigger finger but somehow through all my recklessness Master Lokar sculpted me into the Jedi Knight I am today.

As I stare deeper and deeper into the open universe i get lost in my thoughts. So lost that i almost didn't notice a familiar presence walk up behind me. "Daydreaming again Master Lemos?" After I heard his voice i could identify the famous Jedi Battlemaster, Cin Drallig. "Master Drallig I haven't seen you in a hutts age!" I say as i turn around and shake his hand. "Ever since you were a youngling your mind had a tendency to wander. But at least you always had your mindset when it was time for training." He said with a smile.

Known as Battlemaster by all the jedi Cin Drallig is not only a master of the blade but one of the greatest teachers in the history of the galaxy. He explained that he just got done instructing a lightsaber dueling lesson with two young padawans Bene and Whie who are showing much promise. But the padawan who is showing the most improvement by far is Serra Keto. She is considered his best student. Her skill in lightsaber combat excels. She has spared with my padawan Enn on multiple occasions and she always seems to best him.

"It seemed like you drifted off into deep space there. What were you thinking so hard about?" Somehow i knew he would ask me that even though I'm sure he already knew. "I was just thinking about Master Lokar." "Ah Jorel...one of the greatest Jedi I ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was a close friend of mine. I miss him dearly." It is always hard to lose a fellow Jedi especially one that had been my mentor for most of my life. But as Jedi we must remember the first entry of our code: There Is No Emotion, There is Peace." "I miss him as well." I said. "But we mustn't grieve his death but celebrate his life and what his teachings stood for." The renowned Jedi Master put his hand on my shoulder, chuckled, and grinning ear to ear as he says. "He taught you very well old friend. I bet all the credits in the galaxy that your teachings are just as good if not better." I nod in self gratitude. "I just hope it sticks with Enn as it did me."

Drallig gives me one last pat on the shoulder. I watch him as he turns and makes his way back to the turbolift. He didn't take five full steps and that small tremor in the force I felt earlier turned into a complete catastrophic quake. This was no mere disturbance in the force but an awakening of pure destruction and evil. The battle master stops dead In his tracks. "Did you?..." He muttered. Truthfully not a single Jedi in the entire galaxy didn't feel it. As I try to reach deeper into the force to find some kind of answer for the big question a faint sound off in the distance broke my concentration. It came from beyond the main entrance of the Jedi temple. Looking at Drallig i could tell he hears it to. Without saying a word we both run in a full sprint atop the temple to the very edge directly above of the great entrance.

Looking down on the great steps all I see is white. The sound we heard was a Legion of Clone troopers marching up the great many steps of the Jedi temple. "Clone troopers?! Why would clone troopers be marching on the temple?" My mind could hardly comprehend that this all was actually happening. "They are in battle formation!" Dralig said loudly. "Who would order them to do such a thing?!" I say. Dralig looks at me with wide eyes "only one man has the power to do that" I look back "senator palpatine..."

Dralig says to me with haste "Go to the lower levels and help fend them off ill make my way to the younglings and evacuate them!" He pulls out is comlink. "Serra i need you to meet me immediately!" The voice of a small yet confident and strong young girl answered through the comlink. "What's going on master?! Did you feel-" "We are being attacked" he cut her off calmly yet eagerly, "the clones are marching on the temple we need to EVAC the younglings." "On my way." She answers without hesitation.

Dralig was about to leap into a full force induced sprint when, "Wait!" I yelled as I point down "look at the front line! Somebody is leading them!" Cin looked over the edge once more. A figure in a dark cloak was leading the march. "Who could that be?" I say to myself. I look over at my friend and notice his eyes close. He is reaching out with the force to try and identify the dark evil figure. Before I had the chance to do the same he said with great worry and sadness "no...it can't be" The Jedi master turned and ran back toward the turbolift with great haste. "Who is it?! Wait! Master Drallig!" But through the force he was halfway to his destination before I could even spit out the words. Who knew that would be the last time i would see my old friend…

 **Chapter 2**

As i speed down a turbo lift i can feel the battle between clone and jedi begin to escalate beneath my feet. Crescendoing into a massive symphony of blaster shots and light saber hums. I get on my comlink "Enn come in. What is your location?!" I say impatiently. "I'm in the archive room with Jin-Lo Rayce. We were studying history on the jedi civil war when we felt-" i cut him off "listen Enn we haven't much time im almost to your level we must descend to the lower levels and help fend off the clones!" The young padawan replies whimpering "Clones master?" "Wait for me to come get you and we will descend together." A sick feeling rose from my gut to my throat as i mutter my next words. "Enn...They have turned on us." I tuck my comlink quickly into my belt faintly hearing an attempted reply.

I stopped the turbo lift on the appropriate floor and sprinted down narrow pillared corridors toward the Room of the Jedi Archives also known as the great library. Around me are other Jedi running in multiple directions to defend the one place we call home. Sprinting left and right through different corridors I came to a round open room with beautiful statues and sculptures of jedi Knights atop multiple other corridor entrances. What beautiful architecture. A jedi standing in front of one of these entrances yells for my attention. "This way! To the lower levels!" I come to a quick stop and reply to the human jedi with his green saber already ignited in his hand. "Im retrieving my padawan then we'll be right behind you!" My Jedi Brother nods and heads down the corridor to the right running with both hands grasping his saber ready for combat. As i head for the left corridor i hear loud blaster fire and a shrilling scream. I turn around to look down the hall….Clone Troopers carelessly stepping over the black scored corpse of the jedi i spoke to not a moment ago. The seven troopers raise their blasters and begin to fire upon me as they enter the open room.

Quickly unholstering my lightsaber i ignite its bright blue luminescent blade just in time to deflect the first round of shots. Through the Force i hold out my left hand and push the three troops on the left against the hard wall rattling them nearly unconscious as the other four start to close in. Deflecting shot after shot i finally manage to deflect one back at a trouper directly in the heart no doubt killing him almost instantly. Another runs at me from my right in attempt to tackle me to the ground but with one swift diagonal uppercut of my blade I singed right through his white chest plate from his lower left abdomen up to his right shoulder. Nearly cutting all the way through him.. Deflecting shots from the remaining Clones i slowly back into the last corridor i need to run down.

All off the sudden more troopers come spilling into the open room from the other corridors. 'How in Chaos did they get to the upper levels so fast?!' i think to myself. The battle below must not be holding up. I call upon the force to remove the once beautiful statues and pillars on the walls to block the entrance of my corridor. With loud cracks and crumbles the big devine pieces of jedi history come crashing down from the walls and fall in front of the corridor entrance by my control. One of the troopers tried to roll into the corridor before pieces of the wall touched ground. But he wasn't quick enough. They hit the ground with a loud smash crushing the clone. With this entrance now blocked off i ran quickly down the corridor to my destination. A tear roles down my cheek...my once brothers in arms were trying to kill me, my family, and destroy my home. I wipe the tear away and repeat to myself over and over as i run down the hallway. "There is no emotion, there is no emotion."

Disengaging and holstering my lightsaber i arrive at the Archive Room to meet my padawan Enn at this entrance. With his Tech visor mounted atop his head and his tool pack strapped tightly to is back he runs up to me quickly. I could tell he sensed my presence quickly. "Master! Thank the force you made it! I thought the clones got you for sure!" "and they almost did" I reply as we jog to the middle of the great library. There Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu was putting holo chips into a bag with her padawan Jin-Lo Rayce. "Master Lemos I need your assistance at once!" said Jocasta with her aged feminine voice. "Master Jocasta I strongly suggest you start destroying the archives at once." I say as i approach "The Clones are already spilling into the upper levels and we cannot let them get there hands on this information." The old woman hushes me strictly. "My library assistants are already on it!" I look around the upper levels of the library and see jedi extending their lightsabers slashing through the shelves of precious jedi history. My heart began to sink. Whatever is happening just became more real to me. Without saying a word to her she perks up rushingly. "It saddens me too but there is no time! They will be here in moments.' (Just because i blocked one entrance to the archive room doesn't mean there isn't more) 'I packed Jin-Lo a bag of some of our most precious data chips and i need you and Enn to escape the temple with him through the secret passages here in the library. You will have a better chance getting out together." I reply in disagreement "Enn should go with Jin-Lo he will protect him well. I will stay here and help you and the other librarians fend them off." Enn percs up "Hey i don't want to run i want to fight!" Then Jin-Lo "Yeah! why can't we help defend our home!" "Listen to me!" Jocasta Snaps at the padawans "I understand you both are very skilled in the ways of the force but…" She looks at me "they are still only children Lemos...they need your guidance after evading this catastrophe." Her voice gets louder "They won't know what to do or where to go they need a MASTER!" She sputters with booming emotion. That is the first time i ever saw a Jedi master burst out words with such pure frustration. I stand silent as she pulls herself together. "I know what you're thinking, I went against our code just then but unless some of us escape there will be no code left...none of our teachings...no jedi...no hope." We pause for a quick moment just looking at one another then i perk up. "You are right Master Jocasta I will defend the children with my life." Jocasta nods in gratitude "Those holo chips are the only records future jedi will have left." She says "It is our responsibility to take care of them. Now take the children and go Lemos. Jin-Lo can navigate you through the passageways. I even gave him a data pad contains a map of the Courausant underworld" the young pre-teen human looks up at me with a smile "nobody knows the tunnels like i do master."

An explosion rocks the floor like an earthquake from the battle below. "Alright then its time for us to go young ones" i say. Jin-Lo starts walking us to the back of the archive room to the entrance of the secret passage way then stops and turns to take one last look at his mentor.

Jocasta looks at him, smiles, and says "May the Force Be with y-" With a loud booming explosion the great wooden doors of the libraries main entrance blow open. Knocking over Jocasta her jedi librarians and shelves upon shelves of holo discs and chips shattering when they hit the floor. I jump atop the padwans to defend them from shrapnel and debris. Clone assassins come spilling in through the smoke firing at Jocasta and librarians. "Jin-Lo!" I yell, "get you and Enn inside the passageway and make your way to the city now! I'll be right behind you!" Without hesitation the young padawans knew what they needed to do.

As they enter the secret passageway I disobey Jocasta's orders and run over to her and the other librarians their lightsabers already humming. With great depth i ignite mine as well. "What are you doing get back to the children!" Jocasta says as she deflects incoming blaster fire. "Ill be right behind them I'm not leaving you to die!" Deflecting shots left and right i make my way closer to the clones focusing on taking them out one by one. I could no doubt sense the chief librarians frustration with me but i cant stand aside while she and her librarians get slaughtered. All of the sudden through all the fighting and blaster bolts i feel a familiar presence standing beyond the smokey entrance. With a right horizontal slash and a two step stab to the left i took out what seemed the last two clone assassins. I stop a few yards away from the smokey entrance and felt that familiar presence grow stronger. All of the sudden the high pitched hiss of a lightsaber ignites from beyond the once great wooden doors. I could see its blue blade lighting up the smoke. One would think this to be a fellow jedi until you sense the mere anger and hate radiating from its source. It was then I knew this was no fellow jedi. But the man that Master Dralig and i witnessed leading the attack.

Stepping out of the smoke the Dark Evil Figure i saw atop the temple made form. With his black hood up i couldn't quite make out a face. "Who are you? And why are you doing this?!" I yell. He turned slightly and lifted his hood… He peered at me with his dead yellow eyes filled with nothing but hate and anger. Because of this I almost didn't recognize him at first. When i finally did i was astonished and shell shocked for a moment...i could hardly speak. Then finally i gained the nerve to mutter his name…

"Skywalker?!"

 **Chapter 3**

We just stood there for what seemed like forever. Eyes locked. I hold a face of confusion and anger while he holds a face of malice and hate. What is going on?! Skywalker leading an attack on his own people! This is madness! What could have lead him to do this?

"Master Anakin? What is this?! Why are you killing your own people?!" I said confused and angry. He tilts his head slightly and glares at me when he says "The jedi are no longer my people!" Jocasta and her few remaining librarians line up behind me sabers at the ready. I gain a sense of pity for the dark jedi who stands before me. "Whatever has happened...whoever has twisted your mind, we can help you. Stand down and call off your clones. It doesn't have to end like this Anakin!" A group of clone troopers and clone assassins run up behind the once highly respected member of the jedi council blasters at the ready. "For you and the rest of the jedi it does!" He yelled with an uncontrollable rage before lunging directly at me.

Our blades collide with a high pitched crash as blaster bolts scream past our heads. I almost forgot how skilled he is with a blade. I block his ruthless attacks to the best of my ability waiting for a moment to strike but every time i try to parry an attack he finds a way to stop it. Like a game of Dejerik in a way. He always plays a few moves ahead of me. As we spar near the entrance clones and jedi engage in battle around us. I can tell using my peripheral vision that the battle is not in our favor. Bodies hitting the floor all around us clone and jedi alike but more and more troops keep pouring in. My body start getting week with every swing of my blade...He is to fast...this fight was over before it began. He jumps and strikes down at me as we lock blades, i reach out to the force in an attempt to push him off of me but his hand was already raised to my abdomen. I went flying backwards spinning like a rag doll from his push through the force but somehow I landed on my feet stumbling. "Anakin stop this madness! Let me help you!" I yell in one last attempt to get through to him. Anakin screams a triumphant battle cry as he sprints toward me. Three of the jedi librarians turned to see Anakin sprinting at me and tried to cut in and take him down. Needless to say they were no match… Anakin never slowed his speed or changed direction and his eyes stayed locked on mine. He cut through the librarians seemingly without even trying as he closed in on me. Holding my blade ahead of me i close my eyes and call upon the force. All of the sudden an old familiar voice rang in my ears. "Trust in the force Lemos let it guide you. Embrace it!" "Jorel?!" I whisper to myself in surprise. I allow the force to engulf my mind. The only way i know how to describe it is it felt like time slowed rapidly and all sound muffled. With my eyes shut i couldn't see but i could feel the room around me. I could feel anakin right in front of me. The thrum of his blade closing in on the left side of my head. The force guides my blade swiftly to the left negating his blow. Guiding my feet side stepping to the right as i bring the hilt of my saber down hard on the back of his skull. I feel him fall to the ground hard as time snaps back into place. I open my eyes to see my opponent on the ground before me. He turns his head glaring at me with that look of hatred then leaps at me. Our blades dance together sparking and twirling in the dim lighted library. I finally felt like i had the upper hand when i felt a red hot pain from behind searing my right shoulder blade. I was hit by a blaster. I was so caught up in this fight with Anakin i forgot to watch out for the clones around us. I scream in pain losing my footing. Anakin took full advantage of the situation.

The smell of burnt flesh overcomes my sense of smell as i turn my head and body slightly to the right seeing the clone that shot me not 10 feet away. He fires another shot at me I painfully deflect it back at him with my blade. The bright blue bolt of condensed supercharged plasma energy exploded right in his face when another searing pain ran up my left side from just above my waist line and right up through my left shoulder blade. My body and head curls in the direction of the pain and i scream in agony. Skywalker came in with a perfectly landed upper cut searing my flesh. My tunic and cloak molds with my wounds from the immense heat of the blade and blaster bolt. I begin to fall to my knees as i look at Anakin. With an outstretched hand he breaks my fall through the force and i feel myself being lifted over his head. He looks up at me one last time as our eyes meet. I look into those dark yellow eyes of his and come to the conclusion that he is truly lost. No Matter what i say or do there is no bringing him back. He has truly fallen to the Dark Side. He hovered me over his body for only a second then through me with great force diagonally across the room. I must have been flying through the air fast because I crashed through three holo shelves and i collide head first into the back wall of the library. Then blackness...

I start to regain consciousness...head pounding blurred vision and a familiar presence shaking me awake. "Master wake up...wake up!" My vision begins to make shape and i recognize my apprentice Enn above me. "Master we have to go now!" I place a hand on my head as i sit up a little. "What are you doing her Enn?! I told you and Jin-Lo to-" He cut me off by putting his hand over my mouth. "There's no time for that now you can lecture me later we have to go now! Troops are patrolling what's left of the library. I can sense them heading this way." Enn helped me to my feet. My body battered and bruised. Blood trickling from the side of my face. I grown in pain as i get to my feet. Enn puts my arm around his shoulder and leads me to the passageway entrance. "Wait" i say "my...my lightsaber." "don't worry master i have it. I found it not far from you."

And so we made our way through the library. We had to sneak past a few clones making there rounds looking for any surviving jedi. Stepping over the remains of clones and jedi we make our way through the library. I look down at all there faces as we passed by. Some of them i knew some i didn't, Then I saw her. Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu...her body lay cold and limp atop more bodies and a hole through her sternum. She was impaled by a lightsaber. "Damn you Skywalker...damn you to Chaos." I muttered painfully. Enn gives me a funny look and whispers. "Skywalker? You mean Master Anakin? What would he have to do with all of this?" I look at him out of the corner of my eye and see a look of fear and confusion polluting his face. "Ill tell you everything my young apprentice...but for now we must focus on getting out of her." He nods at me setting me down against a pillar. "Where is Jin-Lo?" I say, he flicks his tech visor downward looking through them like glasses and searching the wall of the library with his eyes. "He is scouting ahead in the tunnels. We have a rendezvous point set...i just got to find the entrance..." He searches for few more seconds when. "Aha! Here it is." He pulls out some kind of tool and inserts it into a slit in the wall that is invisible to the naked eye. I hear a soft click sound and a small section of the wall moves to the left revealing a dark narrow tunnel. Enn gets me back on my feet and we duck into the small passageway that leads us to our inevitable exile.

 **Chapter 4**

We make our way through the small dark passageways for what seemed like a lifetime. "Just a little bit farther Master." says Enn breathing heavily. Im nearly twice his size. The fact that he has supported my weight for this long surprised me. We come to a more open area exiting the cramped passageway. Enns legs give from under him and we fall to the cold damp floor. I lay prone resting to the best of my abilities. My wounds sting with pain. Enn roles over on his back a few feet away breathing heavily trying to catch his breath. Trying to the best of my ability to stay conscious i mutter "Jin-Lo where is he?" Enn answers between heavy breaths "I don't know. He should be here by now. This is the rendezvous spot." Enn sits himself up and cups his hands around his mouth. "Jin! Jin-lo!" He shouts...no answer. "Where could he be? You don't think the clones found there way into the secret tunnels do you?" I push myself up with what little strength i have and wince in pain. "Its hard to say...I hope he didn't get lost." "no way" enn says "not Jin-Lo nobody knows these tunnels better than him. He practically grew up down here." I sit myself up. Every move i make sending shooting pain through my scorched wounds. I grown in agonising pain. Enn gives me a look of worry. "Let me take a look at those wounds." Enn pulls of his tool pack taking out a medi kit from a side pocket. He kneels down next to me flicking down his tech visor to examining my wounds. "Large gash and swelling on the left side of the cranium...bruising of the chest." he lifts his finger to click a button on the side of his visor. "As i suspected. You have a 3 fractured ribs. As long as you don't do anything to straining they should heal on their own." I give him a puzzled look. "Since when does that contraption of yours have x-ray vision?" I say trying to ignore the pain. "When you went to Ryloth on that extraction mission a few months back" He says as he cares for the gash on my head. "I helped out in the medical wing while you were away. Thought it would come in handy." I chuckle at him slightly as pain shoots through my rib cage. "Well you were right about that. Good thinking. It still amazes me the things you come up with." Enn finishes patching up my head then begins to examine the wounds on my back. "Deep Plasma burn on the right shoulder blade...that clone must have hit you close. 15 feet?" "I guessed 10" I reply "but it was hard to tell with all the-" Enn cut me off...his voice full of confusion and terror. "This wound running up your left side...this was from a...a lightsaber." We lock eyes for a moment. Just sitting there. "Master Skywalker? That's who did this. That's why you cursed his name back there…" I could tell Enn was trying to hold back tears. "Never refer to him as Master again young one. He lost that title and that honor. He is someone else now...something else. I saw it in his eyes."

Nothing was said after that. We both sat in silence as he tended to my injuries to the best of his abilities with what little medical supplies he has. And then the time came to go. Not wanting to worry my young apprentice i kept my pain to myself as best as i could. He still had to help me walk but at least i stopped slipping in and out of consciousness. We walk for another 20 minutes or so guessing our way through the maze of cold stone when Enn says "I'm not sure we will ever make it out of here master...not without Jin-Lo. I haven't felt his presence since we split up. We never should have done that. I'm sorry i disobeyed your orders Master Lemos. It was careless and reckless of me." "No apology necessary my apprentice. I did not set a good example by disobeying Jocasta's orders. It is I who made the mistake, I should have gone with the both of you. I stood no match against skywalker." "Yes but you could not have known that master...at least you tried." I couldnt help but try to turn this into a lesson as i say "try..no Enn. As master yoda would say we do or we don't" He cuts in "there is no try..." we both walked in silence after that. My mind raced thinking of all my jedi friends. Did any escape? Are there any survivors? There must be. There are jedi all across the galaxy. I can only imagine Enn was thinking the same thing.

We headed deeper and deeper into the tunnels in search of Jin-Lo. I reach out through the force trying to get some kind of lead on his whereabouts...but nothing. Wherever he is he isn't within these tunnels and if he is...he is dead. I can't help feel responsible. I let my emotions get the best of me. I have failed the younglings, I have failed Jocasta...and i have failed the jedi. Those hollo tapes and holocrons are too important to lose. Not that i don't think Jin-Lo can take care of himself but he is only a child. I just hope it's not too late. Once again i get lost in my thoughts as i tend to do, then Enn perks up. "Master...Look!" I quickly snap my head down a new corridor to our right. I see bodies...clone bodies. Sprawled out on the floor. Blaster and lightsaber scores on the walls and floor. The smell of fizzled plasma fills my nose. "They found there way down here...this is bad." Enn said. We make our way closer. Hoping we don't find Jin-Lo's body among the rest. Enn rests me against the wall and begins a thorough investigation of the battle that took place. "Four clones...no sign of Jin-Lo" Thank the force i thought to myself. "Jin-Lo was never much of a fighter. I'm surprised he was able to take them all out." enn said as he flips down his tech visor. My eyes look around in an investigation of my own. "He took them by surprise. That's how he got the upper hand" I say. "Notice the two closest to me. They were hit in the back. The other two gave him a little bit of trouble hence the blaster marks on the walls. But he eventually got them. The one on the left took a deflected blaster shot to the stomach. The other a vertical slash to the chest." Enn gives me a look through his visor. "Judging by their body temp this fight took place a while ago. I'm guessing around the time i found you. There's no trace of Jin tho. Or any other troopers. Why didn't he make his way back?" "Like you said. He wasn't much of a fighter. Maybe he got spooked and he ran." I say trying to imagine what was going through the younglings mind. "Yeah Maybe" Enn said "Well at least we have an idea on his direction. We better keep moving." Enn puts my arm around his shoulder once again as we continue down the paths. We didn't make it very far when we saw another mark on the wall. This mark was from a lightsaber. "Hmm that's odd. No sign of a fight." Said my apprentice. I think a moment and realize this wasn't from another encounter with clones. Jin-Lo was leaving us a trail. I look at Enn about to relay the information but i could tell by the look on his face he new what i was gonna say. We take off down the tunnels as fast as my body will allow following the trail that the young jedi left for us.

My guess an hour must have passed following Jin-Lo's trail when my apprentice and i smell something horrid. A smell that would make bantha fodder seem like a sweet perfume. "Oh what is that!" Enn said putting his forearm up covering his nose. "Its terrible!" He said in a muffled voice." All of the sudden the sound of splashing arises from under our feet. "We must be in the sewers now." I call upon the force to dull my sense of smell. "I...I think I'm gonna be-" Enn started before vomiting up everything that was in his stomach. As he was finishing i feel a slight breeze on my face. "Come now my apprentice there is an exit near by," Enn wipes his face with the sleeve of his tunic. "Yeah...let's go." He gasped. We make our way through the sewer trudging through goopy water and following the brees. Up ahead we see a ladder leading up to an opening far above our heads. "That must be where the breeze is coming from." I say. I take a few more steps when my foot kicks something under the rancid water. "Hold on a moment." we stop and i kneel down feeling a slight pain shoot through my ribs as i dip my hand in the sludge. Feeling around for a moment my hand grips around some kind of metal cylinder. I pull it from the sewage standing up. In my hand lay a lightsaber. "Master thats.." "Lin-Lo's saber" I say finishing his sentence. I stand there just holding it for a moment. Enn walks to the ladder and picks something up that was dangling from one of its steps. "Master look." He faces my direction holding up his find. Dangling from his middle and index finger was a padawan braid. Similar to Enns just slightly shorter. "I think i was right Enn. He did get spooked and ran. When he finally came to this exit he was afraid he would be identified by his braid in town. He used his saber to cut it off then…he left his saber behind. Must have been to afraid to bring it along. If he was ever caught with it he would surely be incarcerated or worse." Enn looks to the ground sighing. "Poor Jin-Lo. He must have been so scared. Master we have to find him." I nod in agreement. "And we will my young apprentice. But first we need rest and provisions. And if i don't get better care for these wounds they will fester. Enn...I'm afraid i won't last long without serious medical attention." he gives me a look of worry and understanding, "I know master. But where can we go? Any medical facility will surely need some sort of ID before treating you. And those wounds are to obvious. They will notify the authorities upon inspection." I pause as i realize my padawan is absolutely right. Where will we go? What will we do? And then it hit me. "Dev" Enn gives me a puzzled look. "Wait what's that?" I raise my eyebrow at him. "Not what...who. Dev Hoff. Last i heard he was joining the republic navey. He is an old friend of mine. His father and my former Master helped each other out on many occasions. I haven't seen him in a long time. Last i saw him was about a year before i took you on as my apprentice. If anyone can help us Its him." "well let's get going master i can't stand to be in this stench for another second. And we are gonna have one heck of a time getting you up this ladder." Before we did Enn pulled a small vibroknife from his pack and cut off his own padawan brade. He held his and Jins in hand for a few seconds before letting them fall to the sludgy water below. Enn took Jin's saber form my hand, cleaned it off, and put it in his pack along with ours.

Together we ascend the ladder to our escape. I had to call upon the force for strength and to dull my pain but it was still excruciating. Never in my life have i experienced as much pain as i have today. I hope that my padawan and i can find safe refuge soon or i fear that i won't survive my wounds. And Jin-Lo...that poor child. I can only imagine how scared he must have been. All on his own not knowing where to go or what to do and in the possession of some of the jedi's most precious information. We need to find him...against all odds we must find him.


End file.
